ENGAGING THE WORD TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS TIME OF LIFE

                     A TEACHING BY: ADETAYO BENJAMIN   (SERIES TWO)

Let’s see the remaining part of this discussion as recorded in verse 24 to verse 34.

Therefore the Lord God says, "O my people in Jerusalem, don't be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you just as the Egyptians did long ago. 25 It will not last very long; in a little while my anger against you will end, and then it will rise against them to destroy them."  26 The Lord Almighty will send his angel to slay them in a mighty slaughter like the time when Gideon triumphed over Midian at the rock of Oreb or the time God drowned the Egyptian armies in the sea. 27 On that day God  will end the bondage of his people. He will break the slave-yoke off their necks and destroy it as decreed. 28-29 Look, the mighty armies of Assyria are coming! Now they are at Aiath, now at Migron; they are storing some of their equipment at Michmash and crossing over the pass; they are staying overnight at Geba. Fear strikes the city of Ramah; all the people of Gibeah-the city of Saul-are running for their lives. 30 Well may you scream in terror, O people of Gallim. Shout out a warning to Laish, for the mighty army comes. O poor Anathoth, what a fate is yours! 31 There go the people of Madmenah, all fleeing, and the citizens of Gebim are preparing to run. 32 But the enemy stops at Nob for the remainder of that day. He shakes his fist at Jerusalem on Mount Zion. 33 Then, look, look! The Lord, the Lord of the armies of heaven, is chopping down the mighty tree! He is destroying all of that vast army, great and small alike, both officers and men. 34 He, the Mighty One, will cut down the enemy as a woodsman's axe cuts down the forest trees in Lebanon. (TLB)

God has to speak to HIS people, and here is what HE told them; don’t be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you, when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you. For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction.  And the Lord of hosts will wield against them a whip. And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat."

I want us to see the way Goodness translation put it, when that time comes, I will free you from the power of Assyria, and their yoke will no longer be a burden on your shoulders.

And when you read from verse 28 to verse 32, you will see the description of the places that these enemies had captured and the high degree of terror that has come over the people. See what was recorded in verse 31 and 32, the people of Madmenah and Gebim are running for their lives. Today the enemy are in the town of Nob, and there they are shaking their fists at Mount Zion, at the city of Jerusalem.

Finally we were told that; The Lord Almighty will bring them crashing down like branches cut off a tree. The proudest and highest of them will be cut down and humiliated. The Lord will cut them down as trees in the heart of the forest are cut down with an ax, as even the finest trees of Lebanon fall.

At this point we can begin to ask, what is the brain behind the oppression that came upon the nation of Israel by the Assyrians?

Ø  First, it was ordained and permitted by God because of HIS anger against HIS people who are described as the godless nation. Isaiah 10:1-4, 25; 59:9-12.

Ø  The second reason is that it was intended to create fear in the heart of the people of God by the Assyrians who are described as the whip of God’s anger and whose military strength was described as God’s weapon. Isaiah 10:24, 28-32.

From all that we have seen in this book, it has been made clear to us that God is not happy when wickedness is striving in a nation, and for that reason punishment will be permitted to come on such nation. The nations of the world has become an habitation of wickedness. And for this reason judgment has to come upon the nations of the world. Also, the season we are in is the season the bible called the perilous time - a time of danger, hardship, torment and all sort of evils any one can think of. In fact, the bible tells us that it is a time when nations of the world shall act against the ordained standard of God.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

If we take a very careful look at the world today, we will know for sure that we are in a world that celebrate standards and prospects that negate the standards of God. Our leaders care about themselves more, they are more concern about how to gather more wealth and have more frame and the fear of God is not in their heart at all.

Today we see nations of the world fighting to be at the head of affairs, wanting to be in control of the world power and not minding to do deadly and evil things just to gain power.

Indeed and in truth, there is no equity, no consideration for the poor, the masses are suffering big time.

Just as we have earlier saw, Truth is lacking, anyone who departs from evil makes himself a prey, and there is no justice.

God is indeed displeased with all of these ungodly acts that our nations are engaging in.

TO BE CONTINUED…………………………