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August 22nd
The bible reading today is in Jeremiah chapters 46,47,48.
The text today is a prophecy about God’s judgment upon the nations. We remember the anguish in Habakkuk’s QandA with God...”How long will it be before you bring justice upon the nations that have terrorized and brutalized Your people?”
Well, the prophet Jeremiah was about to answer Habakkuk’s question. And to begin with, Egypt was going down by the arm of Babylon...at God’s direction.
Right about now, I remember, not only the 400 years of Egyptian cruelty placed upon Jacob’s children, but I remember from our last week of reading in Jeremiah that many in Judah relied upon Egypt’s trade and muscle instead of God’s wisdom and supply. Thus, the prophecy against Egypt was correspondingly going to affect the unfaithful in Judah.
“Draw near to battle Pharoah Necro...get your war machine ready...get all you have and take the highest ground...and be as confident as you can be in your horses and chariots and gleaming spears and swords and armor that is supposed to strike fear into the enemy...but know this...at the end of the day, all of your military fanfare and strategic advantage is in vain. Babylon will win the day. The battle will cost you greatly in death and destruction. And I God will see to it.”
And Jeremiah saw the prophetic vision and further described the coming battle of Egypt and Babylon saying... “Egypt, your confidence will quickly leave you. Your faces will tell of your own fear and panic and consternation. As the battle begins, you realize that the Babylonian armies are not just in front of you, but are circled all around you. There is no way out. You will try to retreat, but only a few will escape the Babylonian sword. You're finished."
“That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.”
