Day 185 – July 4, 2021
Scriptures: 2 Kings 17, Mark 15 The Northern Kingdom of Israel has fallen. It is besieged, ransacked and Assyria now occupies the land. There is interest in worshiping the God of the land, but it is a far cry from the desires of God. From this point onward, there is a desire to see Israel restored. The Kingdom will one day be restored, but not with the dramatic reforms that are necessary. It will subsequently be captured by Babylon. As of this moment though, in our Kings reading, the kingdom is divided, one is gone and the other is hanging on by a thread. It is revealed that now, the Southern kingdom is up to similar practices as their neighbors. Their hearts have turned as well. Will God accomplish his purposes? How can this be? How does God get what he wants through this? Through the death of a nation? The grief of the ransacked nation of Israel, is overshadowed by the death of Jesus, the Messiah. There were many who anticipated that he was the Messiah, the one who would restore Israel. He has fallen now as well. “Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.” (Mark 15:43) It appears they are still waiting for the Kingdom of God. All evidence suggest that Jesus wasn’t the one to restore Israel. In a few short verses, that notion will all change, and everything will make sense. But for now, we sit and we wait. We look at the tragedy of hearts that have fled God, who have turned to the worship of other gods, and look to the support of neighboring kings. We have crowned the wrong kings. Only one will do. Will we divert from the mob, and ask for the proper king? Give us Jesus of Nazareth, the True Messiah and King! We weep over a fallen nation, and we weep on this Friday of death. But Sunday is coming! And Jesus will Reign! Jordan
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AuthorJordan Ickes, Minister of Etna Green Church of Christ. Archives
December 2022
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