The days of Israel’s fall and recovery from Babylon
The narrative of Israel’s
fall due to their sin, in particular the sin of idolatry, is very sad indeed. In
the story is the evidence of God’s divine judgement. Also woven into the
history are glimpses of divine grace e.g. the preservation of Daniel and his
friends. Some might have been tempted to ask
“where was God”, during the destruction of the city, the temple , the
nation. That question was also asked of the holocaust!
The very terms of the restoration
of Judah and Benjamin to Jerusalem was evidence of the sovereign grace of God.
He alone can change the king’s heart.
The story of the
recovery of the city, the land, the temple is quite thrilling. God moves in and
through a remnant to restore the honour of His name among the nations. I recommend
you read it again.
As I come to the end of
my meditations, I have found it quite heartbreaking to read of the repeated
failure of the people who returned to Jerusalem. Idolatry seemed to have been
purged from the nation, but commitment and enthusiasm toward the Lord God
seriously failed. God sent Ezra, Nehemiah and other prophets up to Malachi, to
revive the devotion of the people, but circumstances, distractions and half-heartedness
so often extinguished the flame of commitment.
It is so like the word
of the Lord to the church at Ephesus.
“You have left your
first love” (Revelation 2)
I observe that Nehemiah
instituted a written covenant of commitment (Nehemiah 9,10), but even that
failed.
The lesson I learn from
my recent weeks of reading this part of God’s story, is found in the words of
Jude:
“Keep yourselves in the
love of God”
Or as Paul wrote:
“that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3)
May it be so for all my
readers around the world. Whatever your
circumstances, remember that God loves you and by His Holy Spirit wants you to
enjoy His nearness every day. Be encouraged by reading Malachi Chapter
3.16-18.
John McKee
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