Passage: Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder, the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.
I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other - man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the base against the honorable.
A man will seize one of his brothers at his father's home, and say, "You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!" But in that day he will cry out, "I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people."
Journal: God's judgment on any nation often begins, but does not necessarily end, with the demise of government and the failure of leadership. ("I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other - man against man, neighbor against neighbor.") We may be witnesses to such judgment in our world at this very moment. The overthrow of government begins with the removal of leadership, and the new leadership may be unwise and inexperienced as a continuance of the pronounced judgment. God's gift of government should be a blessing (Romans 13:1-7), but becomes a curse when men pursue their own evil heart and selfish agenda and disregard the needs of those whom they govern. The selfish pursuits of sinful leadership result in economic injustice and ultimate anarchy. ("See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder, the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.") It is for this reason that we are to be grateful when leadership arises that fears God, for such leadership is uncommon among men and a gift from God. ("A man will seize one of his brothers at his father's home, and say, "You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!" But in that day he will cry out, "I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.") Pray today that God would bring men to the forefront that fear him and desire him, for judgment awaits selfish and godless pursuits.
Heard 'Round the House:
As I have mentioned before, Vera (age 8, down syndrome) comes up with various new angles to try to persuade Jill and I to let her sleep on a pallet in our room. We have designated one night per week as pallet night, and all the kids are strewn across our bedroom floor each and every Friday night. This "one night per week" isn't good enough for Vera, and I place the following episode under the category of reading and interpreting the VIV Bible (the Veranese International Version) --
Vera walks in on Thursday night with my Bible opened to a particular page. She walks over to her mommy and literally begins thumping it. As she points to the chapter and verse she says the following:
"Lay by mommy."
"Lay by daddy."
"Pallet."
She then looks up at mommy and nods her head yes and thumps it some more.
She then walks over to me and repeats the same thing, just in case I wasn't paying attention to the sermon.
A few minutes later I walk in to the bedroom and Vera, Emma (age 6, down syndrome) and Ella (age 3, down syndrome) are all sitting in a circle looking at the Bible in Vera's hand. Vera again has the Bible open and, with Emma and Ella excitedly looking on, she is thumping her passage again stating:
"Lay by mommy."
"Lay by daddy."
"Pallet."
If nothing else, she is beginning to understand ultimate authority . . .
I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other - man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the base against the honorable.
A man will seize one of his brothers at his father's home, and say, "You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!" But in that day he will cry out, "I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people."
Journal: God's judgment on any nation often begins, but does not necessarily end, with the demise of government and the failure of leadership. ("I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them. People will oppress each other - man against man, neighbor against neighbor.") We may be witnesses to such judgment in our world at this very moment. The overthrow of government begins with the removal of leadership, and the new leadership may be unwise and inexperienced as a continuance of the pronounced judgment. God's gift of government should be a blessing (Romans 13:1-7), but becomes a curse when men pursue their own evil heart and selfish agenda and disregard the needs of those whom they govern. The selfish pursuits of sinful leadership result in economic injustice and ultimate anarchy. ("See now, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water, the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder, the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.") It is for this reason that we are to be grateful when leadership arises that fears God, for such leadership is uncommon among men and a gift from God. ("A man will seize one of his brothers at his father's home, and say, "You have a cloak, you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins!" But in that day he will cry out, "I have no remedy. I have no food or clothing in my house; do not make me the leader of the people.") Pray today that God would bring men to the forefront that fear him and desire him, for judgment awaits selfish and godless pursuits.
Heard 'Round the House:
As I have mentioned before, Vera (age 8, down syndrome) comes up with various new angles to try to persuade Jill and I to let her sleep on a pallet in our room. We have designated one night per week as pallet night, and all the kids are strewn across our bedroom floor each and every Friday night. This "one night per week" isn't good enough for Vera, and I place the following episode under the category of reading and interpreting the VIV Bible (the Veranese International Version) --
Vera walks in on Thursday night with my Bible opened to a particular page. She walks over to her mommy and literally begins thumping it. As she points to the chapter and verse she says the following:
"Lay by mommy."
"Lay by daddy."
"Pallet."
She then looks up at mommy and nods her head yes and thumps it some more.
She then walks over to me and repeats the same thing, just in case I wasn't paying attention to the sermon.
A few minutes later I walk in to the bedroom and Vera, Emma (age 6, down syndrome) and Ella (age 3, down syndrome) are all sitting in a circle looking at the Bible in Vera's hand. Vera again has the Bible open and, with Emma and Ella excitedly looking on, she is thumping her passage again stating:
"Lay by mommy."
"Lay by daddy."
"Pallet."
If nothing else, she is beginning to understand ultimate authority . . .
