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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Lamentations 4:12
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world’s people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Self-righteousness, self-satisfaction, and complacency are a very dangerous team.
They lead to illusion, arrogance and despair. As we have already seen, time and time again throughout Scripture – Pride comes before a fall. Complacency before destruction – It’s a ‘Ring of Truth’! (See also Proverbs 29:23 & 16:18.)
Whether you look at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), or the Philistine outpost at Bozez, which Jonathan captured (1 Samuel 14) – whether you look at Cain, Ham, Samson or David, each was vulnerable. So it is with us.
As we have seen, God, through David, set up Jerusalem to be the centre of the earth; the place for His Name to dwell and be revered; the place which would draw all people towards God; and the place of God’s blessing, protection and security. God had chosen it. So God had to protect it in order to protect His Name and reputation.
So those who dwelt there felt secure – but became complacent. They thought it didn’t matter what they did – they were O.K. BUT they were wrong. Jerusalem was the spiritual home of the people but, as verse 14 tells us, the prophets and priests had become corrupt.
Even today, people underestimate the power of the spiritual. Almost invariably the natural conditions explain the spiritual state. Remember what God said to Cain? “Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. When you work the ground it will no longer yield its crops for you” (Genesis 4:10-12 & see also 3:17-19).
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed ... in hope that... itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:19-21). We affect creation both by our natural ways – wantonly raping forests without replenishing them; carelessly over-stocking paddocks creating dustbowls; ruthlessly killing animals, which brings them to the verge of extinction; recklessly over-fishing certain fishing grounds without careful management and by thoughtless pollution – and by our spiritual state. (See also Jeremiah 14 & Leviticus 26.)
Yes, we are careless, selfish, blinkered and inexcusable. But there is more. Because of our spiritual nature and choices, the earth is plagued with famine, disease and disaster. Don’t blame God for blatant and determined idolatry. Don’t blame God for inter-tribal warfare and ethnic cleansing. Don’t blame God for people who practise atheism, animism, and child sacrifice. Tanzania – the so-called third poorest nation of the world, has some of the world’s greatest natural wealth – but the spiritual beliefs keep the people in bondage and creation in poverty.
Beware – the same can happen within the Church of God. As has been said, “Most of what is ‘done’ in Church today can be ‘done’ without God being involved or even being present.” (God’s Presence left the Temple – see Ezekiel 10.) No wonder the Church is seen as impotent. Be on your guard.
Let’s recover our Spiritual health and then we will see the revival we all so desperately long for.
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