28:1-4
We now get back to out and out judgement. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, and was a beautiful city, but its beauty, like that of a flower, would quickly fade. One of the downfalls of the city was drunkenness. The city took pride in itself, but the Lord had one ready to invade the land and destroy the city. That one was Assyria. We should never be taken in by the pride of a city or nation. It is only righteousness that truly exalts a nation. We then get more vivid description of the fading nature of Ephraim’s pride.
28:5,6
When godless men are triumphant continuing to be a faithful believer in the Lord can be a lonely business, a seemingly precarious one. For everything in society is geared against faith in the Lord. This is in many ways the direction our society is going in. But there will come a day when it is the Lord Almighty who will be seen to be “a glorious crown”, and He will be “beautiful wreath” for those who remained faithful. It is always worth trusting in the Lord. The presence of the Lord is characterised by justice, and He also gives strength to His people. Note that it is we sho sit in judgement, and we who turn back the enemies at the gate. While it is the Lord who fights the battles, who brings righteousness and victory, we are not passive, but are actively involved.
No comments:
Post a Comment