2 Kings 24-25

It's Just a Little One - 2 Kings 24-25
Insight Into Scripture
Today we finish with 2 Kings, and we do not finish on a happy note. The last chapter of Kings tells of the fall of Jerusalem.Blinding as cruel as it sounds was a common treatment of rebellious slaves (25:7)

Bringing the Bible Alive
It is a sad day, YAHWEH had enough. In chapter 25 it describes how YAHWEH let Jerusalem be taken over by her enemies. This is an overhead view of the city of David.
While I was looking for pictures I found a life size model of Moses's Tabernacle. It is located in Timna Park in Israel, if you have time check out the pictures, they are really neat. Bibleplace.com

Scripture Reading
8 In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month-- that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon--Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the LORD and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.
21 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land. - 2 Kings 25:8-9, 21 ESV

Thought for the Day
As we started the book of 2 Kings we read about Elijah being carried away to heaven. Today we read about Judah being carried away as slaves, YAHWEH had enough. Between those two events we read about many bad kings who did evil before the LORD. We also read of a few very good ones, whose hearts were dedicated to the LORD.
2 Kings is a good example of what happens when we make a decision not to follow GOD. Back then they had man made images; idols, that they served and put before YAHWEH. Today we still have man made idols that we serve and place before GOD. An idol is anything that you place before GOD.
The people back then became mixed up with the wrong alliances, today we may let our friends and the media influence our decisions. The Law of Moses was tucked away in the temple; forgotten. Today, do we make time to read HIS Word or is it forgotten?
Every sin that lead Jerusalem to be taken over by her enemies, can be committed today. Those little sins lead YAHWEH to turn HIS back on Jerusalem. Today our little sins will lead building a wall between us and GOD. We make the choice to move out of GOD's blessing to where HE allows our enemies to take over us.
We may fail, like the people of Israel and Judah, but GOD will never fail. HE promises to forgive us and help us if we turn our heart's back to HIM. As we will read in the book of Ezra, this is what happens to Judah and Israel. Have you fallen out of GOD's blessings and need to get straight with HIM again?

Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus
Father thank You for the promise that You are always there, no matter what. Father I pray that I can break any walls down that hold me from You. I pray that You will help me to always be ahead of those walls and never let them block the Son. Father I pray as this week comes close to the end that You will carry me along to grow closer to You and to be a bright shining ray of Hope for Your people.
I love You and I pray in Your Name,
Amen.