Tag: 2pe3

Overcoming The Jackals!

O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins. They have done nothing to repair the breaks in the walls around the nation. They have not helped it to stand firm in battle on the day of the LORD. (Ezekiel 13:4–5, NLT)

In today’s reading, God has nothing good to say about Israel’s prophets. He likens them to jackals—vicious opportunists digging among the ruins, preying on God’s people. They have prophesied in the name of the Lord, but their message is not from God. Instead, the message is a scheme of their imagination. They have seen and heard nothing from God. They have told lies, made false predictions, and, according to Ezekiel 13:6, they think they can force God to fulfill their prophecies because they have claimed His name! These prophets have created an illusion of safety and peace when there is none. Of course, God’s people loved hearing what they were hearing—spiritually, the nation was a disaster. 

What a reminder for our day. God has spoken! It’s called the Word of God—the Bible. In these last days, it is crucial to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). To compare what we hear and see around us with the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). Receiving conviction, repenting, and not walking away from the mirror of God’s Word, forgetting what we saw and heard (James 1:22–24). And allowing the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of Truth, to lead us into all Truth, which is the Word of God (John 14:26, 16:13, 17:17). The jackals are out on the prowl (2 Peter 2-3), let us not fall prey to their opportunistic ways. 

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 13-15.

Patience Shockingly Mocked!

Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’ (Ezekiel 12:21–23, NLT)

In today’s reading, we see a proverb used among God’s people to dismiss what the prophets were saying. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others had all prophesied destruction and exile unless there was repentance. God’s patience in waiting for this repentance had been misunderstood. They were confident nothing would come to pass because nothing had happened for a long time. What a mistake! And how blinding is sin! 

This reminded me of something more modern in our time. …that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” (2 Peter 3:3–4, NLT) This idea that because something hasn’t happened in a long time, therefore it won’t happen is not dead. While God is waiting for the precious fruit of souls, the wicked mock that Christ will not return.

How does the Bible instruct us to behave in the face of such mockery and scoffing? And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. (2 Peter 3:14, NLT)

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 9-12.

The End of God’s Patience!

Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians. God’s judgment has come as was forewarned. In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 39:1–2, 8 KJV) Everything that the prophets had predicted came to pass.

Patience Proceeds Judgment

As I think about other instances of God’s judgment in the Bible, I am reminded that a period of longsuffering often preceded the judgment. The clearest example would be the flood of Noah’s day. One hundred and twenty years passed from when Noah was told to build the Ark until God shut the door with Noah’s family inside the Ark. Noah had warned, but the people rejected God’s longsuffering. What moments like this in Scripture remind us of is that God’s patience is not to be taken for granted or misunderstood as God doing nothing. How good of God to be so patient! 

Patience In The Last Days

According to the Bible, there is yet a time of judgment for this world following Christ’s return. But, once again, at this time, God is patiently waiting for there are precious souls yet to come to Christ. In fact, Christians are also exhorted to be patient, as He is patient.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7–8, ESV)

Patiently Waiting

So, how is the world at large interpreting the patience of God? Human nature and the blindness of sin being what they are, notice how the Bible describes the present-day reaction of the wicked.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:3–4, KJV)

Yes, many of the wicked are responding today, as they did in the days of Noah and like Judah and Jerusalem did to Jeremiah—sinning away the days of God’s patience as He waits for their repentance. 

Believer, the Lord’s return is nigh at hand! The sin, wickedness, and hatred of God in this world will not go on indefinitely. Let us be patient and rejoice in the patience of God as precious souls come to Christ, even in the twilight of these last days!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Jeremiah 38-40; Psalm 74, 79.

The patience of God!

Today, we read of the Northern Kingdom of Israel falling to the Assyrians, and the Israelites are exiled to Assyria. The king of Assyria resettled the land with foreigners he conquered from other nations. What the prophets said would happen came true. 

Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways…”But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves … until the Lord finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. (2 Kings 17:13–15, 23, NLT)

One of the thoughts that stood out to me was that God repeatedly warned Israel, generation after generation, to turn from their wicked ways. God’s patience is truly amazing! At the same time, God’s patience did not overlook sin, and judgment did come. What faithfulness of God to keep His word! Israel chose to defy God’s patience and mercy, and God kept His word to them.

Herein, mankind has a choice: to obey or disobey. To heed God’s patient warnings and receive mercy, or reject and despise God through stubbornness and unbelief. Which does God prefer, judgment and destruction or patience, mercy, and forgiveness? The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. (2 Peter 3:9, NLT) While, as saints, we look for Christ’s return now—He is busy being patient with sinners!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17.