Psalm 120;
2 Kings 24:18-25:21;
1 Corinthians 15:20-34
By Rev D Mundenda
"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:20
Psalm 120:3 “What will he do to you, and what more besides, you deceitful tongue?
Every generation is a product of the counsel it takes. If it takes wrong counsel it leads to destruction of individuals and even the nation. But no matter the state of destruction, the resurrection hope could also be hope for the nation.
Proverbs 14:34, we read, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
The failure by Zedekiah to listen to God and his word brought chaos to the Kingdom. Some argue that the King lacked decision making prowess. One commentator said rightly about King Zedekiah especially given Jeremiah 37-39: King Zedekiah’s mind changed with the wind. One wonders if he ever had a conviction about anything. King Zedekiah is the epitome of what happens when we neglect God, his counsel, and prophets.
I. The life and the of kings before Zedekiah would have functioned as the deterrent against unwise guidance. Kings Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:36-24.7) and Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8-17), fell as they disobeyed God. The king associated himself with people who did not direct to God but self. As I Corinthians 15:33 says “…evil company corrupt good manners."
II. When people disobey God, He allows them off their unguarded and they become vulnerable to the destruction. As a result, the disobedience of Zedekiah and Judah led to the exile of the nation, marking the terrible end. The enemy plundered them.
III. The gradual divine judgements from God afford communities opportunities to repent. The siege mounted by Egypt lasted for almost one and half years.
The length of the siege lasted long enough for Judah to turn to back God. However, they did not see the need to listen to God and the prophets.
The city of Jerusalem fell, the temple was destroyed, and the upper classes were deported to Babylon. Zedekiah died in captivity (24:18-25:21).
This was the end of the nation of Judah. The king and his sons died, and the nation was exiled. Exile could have been reversed by turning back to God.
One cannot escape danger of disobeying like Zedekiah and still expect salvation.
The King “fled toward the Arabah, but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho”. They ran, but the enemy got them kilometres away. His son’s eyes were gauged, and he had a horrific terrible end.
The wise counsel says, “Christ is the first fruits from among the dead. If we trust in Him, he changes hearts that transforms nations. Changed hearts changes the course of a people from danger to salvation.
God has positive intentions for nations in Christ.
This is what it means to be blessed. Christ’s resurrection is the hope that all forms of destruction can be restored and healed. For this reason, those who follow Christ do not lose hope. A nation can go through many challenges, but the resurrection hope gives us confidence that all can be restored. The life of a nation can be restored.
Prayer: Thank Lord, that all hope is not lost when we turn back to you. Open our eyes to see the gradual demise of societies and quickly respond in the God-given ways. Amen
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