No Knock at the Door

O. T. #1,006 "No Knock at the Door"
June 19, 2017
2 Chronicles 36-Part 4
And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.  2 Chronicles 36:19

LET IT GLOW

Family is welcome at our house. There's no need for them to knock at the door and wait for us to open it, then invite them inside. And that is the way we want it. Usually they holler to make their presence known, though. That way I am presentable. They are welcome to go into the kitchen and check out the snack drawer or raid the frig anytime.That's the way it is with family, right?

It wasn't that way at Judah though. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did not knock on the King Zedekiah's palace door and wait for a invitation to enter. No, he rushed in, pushed over the wall, and burned Jerusalem, including the palace, then took Judah into captivity for 70 years.

We knew it was coming didn't we? Judah knew it, also, for God had sent His prophets to warn them to repent and only worship Him or else. (Jeremiah and Ezekiel)

But the people mocked these messengers of God, and despised their words. They scoffed at their words until the LORD's anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.
2 Chronicles 36:16 NLT

Ezekiel 22:30 NLT says I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out My fury on them, consuming them with the fire of My anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken.

It was because of the sins of Manasseh, turning Judah to idol worship and away from God. Following Josiah, the good king, were the last 4 bad kings. Time had run out for Judah.

Parents are often patient with their children, warning them to stop their wrong, disobedient behavior. However, when the warning is not heeded, punishment comes in order for the correction of the behavior to take place. So it was with Judah and with us. God chastens His children. He wants us to do right. He desires the best for us and knows that comes with obedience.

LET IT GROW

What did the Babylonians do in Judah?

• They killed Judah's young men, even chasing them into the Temple.
• Having no pity on the people, they killed both young men and women, the old.
• Neb took home all the large and small articles used in the Temple of God. Remember they were made of valuable gold, silver, and bronze.
• Included were the treasures found in the king's palace and the officers' as well.
• Then the Babylonian army burned the Temple, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed anything of value.
• The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, the world empire reigning. They became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.

Jeremiah wrote Lamentations to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and the beginning of the exile.
He wrote in 3:22, The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
In verse 38 we read, Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?

Amen.

LET IT GO

Accept the disciplining of the Lord God in my life.

Let it bring me to my knees of repentance.

Be encouraged that God's mercies never cease and are new every morning.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O LORD God!