NAHUM:
Nahum prophesied 663-612 B.C. His message was concerning Nineveh, who after Jonah (100 years before), had fallen back into their old ways. He begins chapter 1 with a description of the power and goodness of God.
The Lord is a jealous and avenging God...the Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished...The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh...(1:2-7)He describes in great detail the destruction, complete with piles of dead laying in the street. He then somewhat mocks their false confidence
Are you better than Thebes, situated on the Nile, with water around her?...Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.(3:8-10)The chapter ends with
...Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?(3:19)
REVELATION 13:
This chapter describes the unrestricted rule of the Antichrist.
He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast...(13:7-18)
JOURNAL:
Here I am 3 days before Christmas and I'm reading about God's destruction and him allowing the Antichrist to have his way with the world. Definitely not the feel-good Hallmark channel. And I can begin to see how spoiled I am when it comes to Holidays and all the things that I want and expect. I can see how I feel such security in traditions, people and the freedom we enjoy. It all feels as if it's supposed to be this way, as if it is somehow guaranteed to always be this way.
The true reality...it's not! Even now there are those that are persecuted and killed, there are those that are starving and dying. There are children right here among us who are living a private hell, forget whether Santa is going to bring them anything or not, they simply hope not to be abused or punched or kicked. I am reminded that the ravages of hurt and destruction are not limited to "end-times", for many...it exists right under our noses.
So what am I to do with that? I don't really know. For sure, I am to be grateful for what I do have and remember that nothing on earth can ever keep hurt and destruction at bay. No amount of money or position or family can ever be our God. Also to be aware of ways I can be more loving and aware of "real needs" and "real hurts". This is a hard balance, yet I don't think that closing myself off to reality is the answer.
"God loves you! So do I! Make it great day!"
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