As Good as His Word

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 36:15-20

TO CHEW ON: "The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.  But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy." 2 Chronicles 36:15,16

Have you ever been in a situation where your teacher or parent keeps threatening to punish you, but never does? Maybe that’s how God’s many warnings felt to the people of Judah. Prophets had been telling them for years that God would judge them if they didn’t change their ways.

They probably thought that God’s patience would last forever. But they were wrong.

Finally the day came when Nebuchadnezzar made his final move. After a siege of Jerusalem, today’s reading tells us what happened (2 Chronicles 36:17-20). Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks using the words below.

1. People of all ages were ____ .
2. The temple furniture and dishes were _____ to Babylon
3. The temple and palaces were _______.
4. The Jerusalem wall was ______ .
5. Everyone still alive was ___________.
6. There they became ________ .

carried into exile     killed

Babylon   servants

broken down     burned

We can be a lot like those people. Though we read and hear God’s warnings, we don’t take them seriously. But if we keep on ignoring them, we do so at our own risk. Someday all the things God has said will come true, just as He said.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to listen to and act on Your words. Amen.


MORE: Driven From Home
Imagine you were a boy or girl alive at the time of Jeremiah. You watched from inside Jerusalem as the army from Babylon camped all around the city.


Then you saw them attack. They broke down the city walls. They raided the temple


They burned the temple and the palace.


Finally soldiers rounded up you, your family, and friends. They marched you all the way to Babylon. There you were forced to work as servants.


Choose one of these scenes and write a journal entry about what you saw, heard, thought and felt.

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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