Theme: IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THE RIGHTEOUS
Text:
“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” – Revelation 12:12.
Comment:
True to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ about the signs of the last days, the horrible events of the First World War mark the “beginning of sorrows”. (Matthew 24:8) The ouster of Satan the devil from heaven was followed by a lamentation from the angel as stated in the text for today. People of the earth are indeed marching into harder times as we advance further into the last days.- 2 Timothy 3:13.
Globally, infectious diseases are spreading like wild fire. The corona virus pandemic (COVID-19) is part of the “great wrath” of the devil to destroy man. In a number of countries permanent warfare is spiralling out of control; climatic change is triggering major concerns around the world; there are also natural disasters, like floods, earthquakes, storms; accidents – in air, land and sea. There are growing cases of homosexuality, lesbianism, LGBT groups and the menace of false prophets.
There are problems of unemployment, couples battling with stresses arising from the marriage itself – care of the home, financial worries, welfare of the children, relationship with in-laws, inability to bear children, etc. As true Christians, we should continue to look to God as Eliphaz, the Temanite said: “I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.” – Job 5:8, 9.
Theme: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 11:32 - 40
Text:“For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.” – Jeremiah 32:3.
Comment: Because the king and people of Judah had given themselves to the worship of the devil, God Almighty used Jeremiah the prophet to warn them, telling them that if they would not repent, He would make Jerusalem and the temple they took pride in to suffer the fate of Shiloh, where the name of God was in earlier times before it was destroyed and abandoned. (Joshua 18:1; 19:51; 1Kings 14:2.) For warning the people against sin the leaders determined that Jeremiah must die. (Jeremiah 26:1-10) However, some of the elders, together with Ahikam, an officer of the king, intervened to prevent them from their wicked plot.
Again, when the Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem, Jeremiah was instructed by God to tell them to submit to their rule to avoid death and destruction. This was seen as treason for which the leaders of the people convinced King Zedekiah to cast Jeremiah into.a well. But God also delivered him. When we stand up for the truth, even in the face of danger, God will give us victory in the end. St. Paul in his writings recalled God delivered them “from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:10).. He added that God Almighty shall deliver him “from every evil work, and will preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom. – 2 Timothy 4:18