SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/18/2014
9:40 AM
My Worship Time Focus: God’s
Discipline PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation
Reference: Lamentations
4:6, 9, 11-12
Message of the
verses: We are now going to look at
more of God’s Disciplines on the people of Judah during the time when the
Babylon’s were destroying Jerusalem.
Enemies (Lamentations 4:6, 9): “6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my
people Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment,
And no hands were turned toward her…. 9 Better are those slain with the sword
Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of
the fruits of the field.”
We know the story of how God destroyed the city of Sodom
and Gomorrah as told in the 19th chapter of Genesis, how God
suddenly destroyed it with fire and brimstone.
Both cities were full of evil and perverse people and this was the
reason for their destruction. Now we
read that Judah’s sins were greater than Sodom’s sin and we wonder how this
could be. The reason was that Judah had
more light, for God had brought them out of Egypt, then settled them in their
land, and before that had given them His Law, and made a covenant with
them. They were the people that God
chose to write the Bible so they knew about God’s Word, but now God was taking
out His wrath on them in a slow way for the siege was very slow and painful,
and it would have been better for them if He had destroyed them as fast as He
destroyed Sodom. Jeremiah states that it
would have been better for them to die with the sword, than to slowly starve to
death. On having more light Dr. Wiersbe
writes “Privileges always bring responsibilities, but the nation refused to
obey the Lord and was punished for their rebellion.”
Fire (Lamentations 4:11-12): “11 The LORD has accomplished His wrath, He has poured
out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed its foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of
the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.”
Let’s talk a bit about the wrath of God, as it is one of
His attributes. God had no need to show
His wrath before He created man and angels, so it was not seen until He had
created it. God’s wrath is different
than the wrath of man. In writing to the
Romans Paul quotes an OT passage in writing “Ro 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but
leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I
WILL REPAY," says the Lord.” There
will come a day when the wrath of God will be finished and will not be seen any
more. “Re 15:1 Then I saw another sign
in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are
the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.”
Fire is seen on many occasions in the Word of God to show
about His wrath and punishment, for after all when the Bible speaks about hell
it is described as the lake of fire. Now
we know that when the Babylonians destroyed the city and temple they did it
with fire “Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all
its valuable articles 2 Chron. 36:19).”
Jeremiah warned them time and time again, but they would not listen and
so God allowed the Babylonians to burn their city. Verse 12 speaks of how surprised the nations
were and Dr. Wiersbe writes “The other nations and their rulers were aghast at
the destruction of ‘the impregnable city.’”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: One may wonder
why it is good to praise the Lord for His wrath, but God’s wrath is something
to praise the Lord for if you are a believer.
I have heard it said by John MacArthur that all of God’s attributes are
seen at the cross of Jesus Christ, and for sure His wrath was seen as He poured
it out on His Son so that He would not have to pour it out onto me, and this is
why I can praise the Lord for His wrath.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember that the wrath of God has been poured
out on my Savior so that I can be saved from it.
Memory verses for the
week: Colossians 3:1-9.
1 Therefore if you have
been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God. 2 Set your
mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who
is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory. 5 Therefore consider the members
of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and
greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For
it is because of these things that the wrath of God has come upon the sons of
disobedience; 7 and in them you once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech
from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one
another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Perfection” (Hebrews
6:1). “Therefore leaving the elementary
teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a
foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God (Heb.
6:1) The answer could also be “maturity.”
Today’s Bible
question: “Which three of the disciples
were Jesus’ closest friends?”
Answer in our next SD.
9/18/2014 10:28 AM
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