Michelle
In this chapter we read that Israel is exiled because of sin against God. As in these previous chapters we read about the kings leading them in worshiping numerous gods, not just God. It speaks of the last king of Israel and how even though they brought a priest back to the land to teach people how to worship God, they continued to worship other things as well. Some of these names sound familiar, like I have read or heard about them before. There was one in previous chapters, Baal-Zebub, that sounds like a name for the devil that we see and hear about even now. Another that sounds familiar is Nergal. This one I think I have heard about in movies. It's interesting because I wonder if those that have used these names found them in the bible or from other sources. Obviously people from biblical times likely had other publications that have been passed down thru the generations. Whether they are right or not as we have continually read that people follow their own ways and not always what God directs. I guess this comes with free will. God wants you to choose him over others and shows us constantly why we should, yet as a free willed people we are weak and keep choosing the wrong path. You would think that we would have all learned by now. It also talks about the area that the people came from and how God's people were deported to Assyria and remain to this day. I wonder how long that lasted and if they are still there. Makes one think about how there is no peace in the middle east and how there is and has always been continual fighting amongst the people there. Like they are still wandering this land because they are not following God. As we have expanded far from there, this pertains to us too. Do we follow God or are we following the gods of other nations? We must keep our focus and faithfulness.
Ok, verses 13-14 really stand out to me on this one. It says, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." This seems very powerful to me. That we must seek and stay focused on the goodness God brings in the land of the living, here on earth amongst all those people who serve other gods or no gods at all. That we need to be faithful and seek only God.
Julie
I wish I had something more to add on this one, but you covered it really well. I had the same thoughts about some of the names you mentioned. Giving us free-will allows for sinful decisions and it is obvious that people are very weak and have been for all time.
I think that you chose some good verses that could even carry us right now. I don't know how others feel about things going on in the world right now, but I know that I am struggling with what feels like evil coming from all directions and I think that the words of some of these psalms and from the verses that you picked out can carry us through some difficult times. I know that are difficulties are not necessarily at the level of David, but they could become more of things don't change.
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