II Kings 25
Two year seize on Jerusalemverses 1-2
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign – in the tenth month
in the tenth day of the month [10/10/09]
that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came – he – and all his host
against Jerusalem – and pitched against it
and they built forts against it round about
And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah
Soldiers fled Jerusalemverses 3-4
And on the ninth day of the fourth month [4/9/11] the famine prevailed in the city
and there was no bread for the people of the land
and the city was broken up
and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate
between two walls – which is by the king’s garden
(now the Chaldees were against the city round about)
and the king went the way toward the plain
King and others caught by soldiers of Babylonverses 5-7
And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king
and overtook him in the plains of Jericho
and all his army were scattered from him
So they took the king – and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah
and they gave judgment upon him
and they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes
and put out the eyes of Zedekiah
and bound him with fetters of brass
and carried him to Babylon
City of Jerusalem completely destroyedverses 8-12
And in the fifth month on the seventh day [5/7/11] of the month
which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar
came Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard
as 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 Nebuzar-adan 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
Babylonians took all precious metalverses 13-17
And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD – and the bases
and the brazen sea that was in the house of the LORD
did the Chaldees break in pieces
and carried the brass of them to Babylon
and the pots – shovels – snuffers – spoons
and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered
took they away
and the firepans – bowls
and such things as were of gold – in gold – and of silver
in silver – the captain of the guard took away
the two pillars – one sea
the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD
the brass of all these vessels was without weight
the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits
and the chapiter upon it was brass
the height of the chapiter three cubits
the wreathen work
and pomegranates upon the chapiter
round about – all of brass
and like unto these had the second pillar
with wreathen work
King of Babylon killed officers of Jerusalemverses 18-21
And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest
Zephaniah the second priest – and the three keepers of the door
and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the
men of war
and five men of them that were in the king’s presence
which were found in the city
and the principal scribe of the host which mustered the
people of the land
and threescore men of the people of the land that were
found in the city
And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these
and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah
and the king of Babylon smote them
and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath
So Judah was carried away out of the land
Gedaliah appointed governor of Jerusalemverses 22-23
And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah
whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left
even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
the son of Shaphan – ruler
And when all the captains of the armies – they and their men
heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor
there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah
even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah
and Johanan the son of Careah
and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth
the Netophathite
and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite
they and their men
Gedaliah told people Babylon meant them no harmverse 24
And Gedaliah swore to them – and to their men – and said unto them
Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees – dwell in the land
and serve the king of Babylon – and it shall be well with you
Gedaliah killedverse 25
BUT it came to pass in the seventh month
that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah – the son of Elishama – of the royal seed
came – and ten men with him – and smote Gedaliah – that he died
and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him
at Mizpah
People ran away from Judahverse 26
And all the people both small and great
and the captains of the armies arose – and came to Egypt
for they were afraid of the Chaldees
Jehoiachin treated well by new king of Babylonverses 27-30
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of
Jehoiachin king of Judah – in the twelfth month
on the seven and twentieth day of the month
that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he
began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin
king of Judah out of prison
And he spake kindly to him – and set his throne above the throne of the kings
that were with him in Babylon – and changed his prison garments
and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life
and his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king –
a daily rate for every day all the days of his life
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. (3899 “bread” [lechem] means grain, food, any food, nourishment, or provision)
DEVOTION: The basics of life seem to be bread and water. If anyone was in prison, they would at least receive these two items. Here we find that the people in Jerusalem didn’t have either, because the Babylonian were at the gates and they wouldn’t let any food in to feed the city.
The children of Israel had turned from the LORD who was the ONE who provided their food in the past but was not providing it now because they were worshiping false gods and not honoring HIM with their tithes and offering.
So, we find that those who God promised to bless if they would serve HIM were not serving HIM and HE allowed an enemy to come and fight against them.
We have enemies today that don’t like the LORD. They are doing everything in their power to take God out of the schools and society in general. They don’t want us to mention God in any of our holidays. They don’t want to have any of the quotations of the Bible in their public buildings. This nation was founded on the principles of the Word of God.
Today we are told that God is not necessary in our lives because we can do everything without HIM. We don’t have to obey HIS commands regarding our personal lives. We don’t have to honor HIM in public at all.
Prayer seems to be a think of the past even in churches that proclaim the Word of God. Prayer meetings have almost ended in Biblical churches. Many who claim Christ don’t think that prayer is even necessary in their private lives.
In the LORD’S Prayer we ask for our “daily bread” or the LORD to bless us with food and other necessities.
Too often it seems that the enemy is winning but he can only win if we leave the LORD out of our lives like the children of Israel did in Jerusalem by worshiping false gods.
CHALLENGE: Are we worshiping false gods today even on Sunday? Do we attend a worship service that genuinely honors the LORD. Do we ask the LORD for our daily bread?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 9 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. (8313 “burnt” [saraph] means to burn completely, to destroy by fire, kindled, to absorb, cauterize, bake, or consume objects by fire)
DEVOTION: Judgment is sent by the LORD because they did not honor HIM. They didn’t think it was important for them to support the Temple. They didn’t think it was important to be a nation that worshiped the LORD. They thought they could get along without having a central place to worship the LORD.
Well they got what they wanted. The Temple was burned to the ground and all the wealth that was there was taken to Babylon. All the items that were of any worth were taken out of the nation into a nation that took them captive.
Not only the Temple but the palace, houses of rich people and other important buildings were burned. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down. There was nothing of worth left behind and all there was in Jerusalem was rubble.
Once the LORD is left out of the nation there is no respect for the things that are holy. The LORD wanted the people to see the consequences of their actions regarding not worshiping the LORD. HIS blessings were removed and they were left with confusion and death.
Today we find that we have nations who were once considered Christian but now are turning away from their Christian heritage and worshiping other gods or not worshiping at all.
We live in a day and age that seems to think that all the blessing came from humans rather than from the LORD because HE was honored by the nation. Israel found out what captivity was all about and we are going to find out the same thing if our nation wants to live without the LORD.
There are consequences to the nation who thinks that there doesn’t have to be any honoring of the LORD who gave the nation the ability to exist. Nations rise and fall because of their treatment of the Creator of the Universe. HE is still in control even when men think they are in control.
CHALLENGE: Should the nation you are living in be judged by the LORD for their present actions?
: 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. (1803 “poor” [dallah] means the unimportant, people without possessions or wealth considered as a group, lowest, or people of little resources and of a low social status)
DEVOTION: Farmers needed. The poor of the land were left alone to make sure that the land was tended for its fruits. The captain of the guard had all the important people killed by the king of Babylon but left the poor behind to make sure that Babylon could still get something from the land after they had defeated the nation of Judah.
We know that the backbone of the nation is our farmers. We need to have food to eat if we are going to survive in this world. Food is essential to life. Now we find that there is no political life left in Judah. All the political leaders are dead. They were not missed as much as the farmer would be missed.
Today we have a problem. There are many who think that we don’t need farmers or the poor in the land to work for a living. Those who conquered the nation of Judah knew that someone had to work and why not make the poor work for a living.
Not all farmers are poor but they need laborers to milk the cows and plant the corn and other products that we need to eat if we are to live. It is understood that if there is no food there will be no life.
If we put the poor to work we can produce more food that we can share with other nations instead of us just buying food from other nations and watch our farms go to waste or turned into housing.
What is going to be left behind if we stop farming the land? Sometimes a majority of people don’t think about the consequences of allowing the nation to stop farming. The Babylonians knew that they needed farmers in the lands they conquered. Are we smarter than the Babylonians today?
CHALLENGE: The LORD wants everyone to be a worker. HE gave the example of an ant and how they gather their food for the winter. HE gives this example for humans to follow in regards to a work ethic.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 24 And Gedaliah swore to them, and to their men, and said unto the, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you. (2895 “well” [towb] means good, pleasant, delightful, joyful, better, pleasing, glad, or prosper)
DEVOTION: Jeremiah was the prophet at this time in the history of Israel. They were taken into captivity in Babylon and he was instructing the remaining people of Jerusalem to pledge their loyalty to Babylon while the captivity was going on because it was the judgment of God for this time period. The LORD would restore them in the future but at present they had to suffer the consequences of their actions.
They consequences were going to be suffered for seventy years and then the LORD would end the captivity and there would be a return to the city of Jerusalem. When the people returned they would rebuild the Temple and worship the LORD again in the land.
This word from the LORD was not accepted by those who were not following the LORD but wanted to rebel against Babylon. They chose to kill the assigned governor rather than accept the punishment of the LORD for a time period.
They would kill him and then run away leaving the land without a governor who was a follower of the LORD and willing to follow the LORD’S counsel for a time period.
Too often we think we know better than God what should be done in our lifetime. We want to receive the blessing of God even when we are not serving the LORD properly. We don’t want to experience any judgment for our actions just blessings.
It doesn’t work that way in God’s economy. If we are not willing to be daily followers of the LORD, HE will judge us for our actions. If we are willing to accept judgment and repent of our sins and start following the LORD on a daily basis, HE will send blessings again in HIS timing.
Waiting seventy years isn’t on anyone’s agenda. Time is always on the side of the LORD because HE is eternal. We need to make sure we have an eternal outlook on life.
CHALLENGE: How do we face judgment of the LORD as an individual, family, or nation? Are we willing to seek HIS face and accept what HE is allowing at the present time in our life?
: 30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life. (737 “allowance” [’aruchah] means diet, dinner, or victuals)
DEVOTION: The king of Babylon had taken Jehoiachin to Babylon and set up Zedekiah as king in Judah. Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon and put him in prison. However, Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. So Nebuchadnezzar came back to Jerusalem with an army and caused a famine in the city. Then King Zedekiah and his army ran from the city but were caught by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar killed the king’s sons in front of him and then put out the eyes of Zedekiah.
The city of Jerusalem was completely destroyed and all of the precious metals were taken to Babylon.
Now there is a new king in Babylon and he took Jehoiachin out of prison and treated him well. He gave him a daily diet of good food. He put him on a throne above the thrones of the other kings that were captured by the nation of Babylon.
Here we have the first per diem given to someone. The LORD promises to provide for his servants. Here we find a heathen king treating the king of Judah well.
We need to rely on the LORD for all of our needs. We need to pray for our daily needs. We have the example of the disciple’s prayer for “daily bread.” We also need to be the ones who help others who are in need if we can.
Is the LORD providing for our daily needs? Are we helping those who are poor meet their daily needs? Do we care? Too often we say that we care and claim that we don’t know of anyone who has a need.
If we did genuinely care we would have plenty of people to help on a regular basis. Too often we think the government is responsible.
However, the Bible says that the LORD uses us to help those in our churches that have a need. Let us honor the LORD with our provisions for those around us that need our help. Let us not depend on the government to help fellow believers as much as we should.
CHALLENGE: Find a family that has a need and see what you can do to fill it. Remember that the LORD wants us to do it for HIS glory and not our own, so as much as is possible do it anonymously.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORDverses 9-18
Burnt
Pillars of brass taken
Brasen sea
Ministering objects taken
Brass taken
Seraiah the chief priest takenverse 18
Zephaniah – second priestverse 18
Principal scribeverse 19
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 9, 13, 16
House of the LORDverses 9, 13, 16
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nebuchadnezzar – king of Babylonverses 1, 6-12, 20-24
10/10/09 came against Jerusalem
Slew Zedekiah’s sons before him
Put out Zedekiah’s eyes
Carried Zedekiah to Babylon
Army of the Chaldeesverses 4, 5, 10
Pursued king of Judah
Overtook him
Brought him to Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuzaradan – captain of Chaldee guardverses 8-12, 18-20
Burnt house of the LORD
Burnt hoses of Jerusalem
Broke down the walls of Jerusalem
Carried away remnant of people
Left the poor to be vinedressers and
husbandmen
Egyptverse 26
Evilmerodach – king of Babylonverses 27-30
12/ 27 began to reign
Brought Jehoiachin out of prison
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Killing of Gedaliahverse 25
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jerusalemverses 1-3
Famine in Jerusalem
King Zedekiahverse 2
9/4/11 Famine
No bread
City broken up
Men of war fled by nightverse 4
Jerusalem buried to groundverse 9
All items of Temple taken to Babylonverses 13-17
Judah carried out of the landverse 21
Gedaliah – governorverses 22-25
Captains of the armies verse 23
Ishmael – son of Nethaniahverses 23, 25
Killed Gedaliah
Johanan – son of Careahverse 23
Seraiah – son of Tanhumeth the Netophathiteverse 23
Jaazaniah – son of Maachathiteverse 23
Flee to Egyptverse 26
Jehoiachin – king of Judahverses 27-30
Brought out of prison
Given money and possessions by King of Babylon
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
25:22–24 Nebuchadnezzar appoints Gedaliah to govern what remains of Jerusalem. Cogan and Tadmor note that “Gedaliah was of a prominent Jerusalem family. His grandfather was the scribe during the reign of Josiah (2 Kgs 22:3), and his father was a member of the mission sent to Huldah … and later intervened to save Jeremiah from threatening the prophet’s life (Jer 26:24).” He seems to be an honorable, trusting person despite his willingness to serve Babylon (cf. Jer 40:7–16). His counsel to the people seems sound enough. If they settle down and make no trouble, all will be well. After all, Jeremiah has already predicted a seventy-year exile, beginning with 605 b.c. (cf. Jer 29:10), so why fight now? (House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 399). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
24. Gedaliah swore an oath as part of his undertaking official duties as governor, or gave his word in God’s name that loyalty would ensure safety. He urged acceptance of the judgment God had inflicted on Judah by maintaining a pro-Babylonian policy. Settle down in the land peaceably was also Jeremiah’s message to the exiles (29:4–7). When it is recognized that a foreign ruler has been the divine agent for punishment, such passive resistance is all the more powerful. (Wiseman, D. J. (1993). 1 and 2 Kings: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 9, p. 337). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
25:22–24. Gedaliah was a descendant of Shaphan, Josiah’s secretary of state who had implemented that king’s reforms (22:3). Gedaliah was a friend of Jeremiah (Jer. 39:14) who followed that prophet’s counsel to cooperate with the Babylonians. Since Gedaliah assumed a pro-Babylonian stance Nebuchadnezzar appointed him governor of Judah. Gedaliah set up his headquarters at Mizpah (about eight miles north of Jerusalem) since Jerusalem lay in ruins. In Mizpah a party of pro-Egyptian leaders and their followers who had escaped execution by the Babylonians called on him. The governor tried to convince these men to remain in the land and serve Nebuchadnezzar for their own good.
25:25–26. Some time later, however, Ishmael … who was of royal descent and apparently wanted to govern Judah, conspired against Gedaliah and slew him (cf. Jer. 41:2). Gedaliah had been warned of this possibility but had refused to take it seriously (Jer. 40:13–16). Gedaliah’s associates were also slain. Fearing reprisals from Nebuchadnezzar, all the Judahites including the army officers who had failed to prevent this assassination fled to Egypt for safety, forcing Jeremiah to go with them (Jer. 41:1–43:7). (Constable, T. L. (1985). 2 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 587). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
22–24 The captivity of God’s disobedient people, begun in 605 b.c., was completed: Seventy years would go by until the exiled Judeans would again see their homeland (2 Chronicles 36:15–21). To the history of the united and divided kingdoms is appended a note regarding the establishment of the new Judean vassal state. Fuller details are given in Jeremiah, from where these data are perhaps drawn. Of the prominent men of Jerusalem, only Jeremiah and Gedaliah were left behind (v.22; cf. Jer 39:11–14). Jeremiah’s stand on the Babylonian issue was doubtless well-known. Gedaliah’s attitude was probably that of Ahikam, his father and a noted official (2 Chronicles 34:20), who had supported Jeremiah (Jer 26:24). Accordingly, Gedaliah, who probably had the needed training, seemed the logical choice to be Babylon’s governor designate over the newly formed district.
The choice was a popular one, and at first things went well (cf. Jer 40:1–12). Because of their confidence in Gedaliah, many of the surviving little guerrilla bands made their way back to Jerusalem to lay down their arms and take up residence there (vv.23–24), as did many of the Judeans who had fled to the Transjordanian lands (cf. Jer 40:11–12). Even Jeremiah at first went to Mizpah to lend his assistance to Gedaliah (Jer 40:6). (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 299). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Ver. 22–24. And as for the people that remained, &c.] That were left in the land to be vine-dressers and husbandmen; over these the king of Babylon made Gedaliah governor, to whom the captains, with their scattered troops, came, and submitted for a time; of whom, see the notes on Jer. 40:7, 8, 9.
Ver. 25. And it came to pass in the seventh month, &c.] Not of Gedaliah’s government, but of the year, the month Tisri or September, near two months after the destruction of Jerusalem; the Jews say 52 days after it; of the death of Gedaliah, and the man that slew him, as here related, see the notes on Jer. 41:1, 2, 3. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 844). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
On Being A Pastor by Derek J. Prime & Alistair Begg
…puts our subject into proper perspective in two of his most telling statements about a minister’s personal life: First, “My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness”; and second, “How awful a weapon in the hand of God is a holy minister.” (p. 35)
The preacher’s gift proves its value to the body of Christ as his character demonstrates the truth of what he declares. (p. 37)
To guard our speech we have to guard our hearts, for “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12: 34). If we would say the right things, we must firs think them. When our tongues let us down, it is because we have not first watched over our hearts and thoughts. (p. 40)
Busyness with the concerns of God’s people must not be an excuse for neglecting our neighbor – this was the priest’s and the Levite’s mistake in the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. (p. 41)
Although it may be a hard path to follow, we should accept whatever salary God’s people choose to give, leaving it to others to act on our behalf. (p. 41)
Love is the priority virtue, and it must be conspicuously present in the shepherd and teacher’s life. (p. 42)
We are to love those who oppose us, not viewing them as enemies but a friend to be won over by love. (p. 42)
Purity can be achieved only as it is our deliberate aim. (p. 44)
A man’s wife must be the sole fountain from which he drinks for the fulfillment and satisfaction of physical and sexual desires – both in thought and physical act. (p. 45)
Our secret life is the clue to our public usefulness. (p. 46)
Boaz, a close relative of Naomi, agrees to marry Ruth.
INSIGHT
The custom in the Old Testament is that when a relative dies without leaving a male heir, the next nearest relative marries the surviving spouse to preserve the family name and property rights. Naomi thinks Boaz is the next of kin; therefore, there is nothing forward in Ruth’s actions. Boaz exercises admirable restraint, knowing that there is closer kin. His concern for Ruth’s good name again shows his nobility of character, for he is surely attracted to Ruth already. (Quiet Walk)
“ALL THINGS”
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Matthew 11:27
The Lord Jesus Christ made the following astounding claim for Himself: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father.” Now let me try to reconstruct the whole situation. There is someone speaking. You look at Him and see He is a man. He is surrounded by a group of people who have attached themselves to Him and who have been following Him and listening to His teaching. They have been with Him as He has traveled back and forth in the ancient land of Palestine. They have seen the works that He performed, and there He is, as it were, a man speaking to men. But when He says, “All things,” there is no limit to that word “all”; it is as all-inclusive as a word can be. So who is this person who is speaking?
He says that He is in a unique sense the Son of God. In John chapter 5 the Jews turned upon Him because He claimed God as His Father and said that He claimed equality with God. Now I feel that our real difficulty with the New Testament is that we are so familiar with these facts that we miss their extraordinary character. Our whole danger, is it not, is to fail to realize and remember that this is literal history. The fact of Jesus Christ is history, and what I am calling your attention to here is something that has actually happened. This person was on earth and was born in Bethlehem. He worked as a carpenter in Nazareth, and He told people that He was the Son of God in a way that no one else was.
A Thought to Ponder: He told people that He was the Son of God in a way that no one else was. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 133,135, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Virtue of Having Enemies
“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26)
It is no compliment to say about a Christian that he has no enemies, for that is the same as saying he has accomplished nothing. The apostle Paul had many bitter enemies, and they finally got him executed. In fact, almost all of the great heroes of the faith, through all the centuries since Satan gained his victory over Adam and Eve, have had to overcome bitter opposition from that wicked one.
So, instead of resenting our enemies, we should thank God for them, for they enable us to become more like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Only through such experiences can we learn what it means to say with Paul: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Only if we have enemies can we learn to obey Christ’s difficult command to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
The Lord Jesus easily could have called on 12 legions of angels to rout His enemies (Matthew 26:53). Instead, He submitted to their vicious insults and cruel tortures, even praying in His agony on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The enemies of Christ killed Him, but had they not done so He would not have died for our sins, and we would be lost eternally. This is a mystery to ponder and difficult to comprehend, yet, as the Bible promises, “surely the wrath of man shall praise thee” (Psalm 76:10).
The enmity of men can thus be a channel of divine grace to the believer, for “tribulation worketh patience” (Romans 5:3), and “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Pursued by Love
I will say, “Salvation comes from the Lord.”
Jonah 2:9
“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days,” opens the famous poem “The Hound of Heaven” by English poet Francis Thompson. Thompson describes Jesus’ unceasing pursuit—despite his efforts to hide, or even run away, from God. The poet imagines God speaking to him and saying, “I am He whom thou seekest!”
The pursuing love of God is a central theme of the book of Jonah. The prophet received an assignment to tell the people of Nineveh (notorious enemies of Israel) about their need to turn to God, but instead “Jonah ran away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). He secured passage on a ship sailing in the opposite direction of Nineveh, but the vessel was soon overcome by a violent storm. To save the ship’s crew, Jonah was thrown overboard before being swallowed by a large fish (1:15–17).
In his own beautiful poem, Jonah recounted that despite his best efforts to run away from God, God pursued him. When Jonah was overcome by his situation and needed to be saved, he cried out to God in prayer and turned toward His love (2:2, 8). God answered and provided rescue not only for Jonah, but for his Assyrian enemies as well (3:10).
As described in both poems, there may be seasons of our lives when we try to run from God. Even then Jesus loves us and is at work guiding us back into restored relationship with Him (1 John 1:9). (By Lisa M. Samra, Our Daily Bread)
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