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The Destruction of Jerusalem – Hit the Mark — 9 Comments

  1. Thank you brother Hall, I appreciate the article.

    Quoting : "No leader can be charged with controlling the inward, personal sins of those they lead. However, leaders set the tone for the directions of their nations and the broader sentiments they commonly share."

    How true! Additional Scriptures confirm, and underscore, the thought.
    "...O My people, they which lead thee cause thee to err..." (Isa 3:12.)
    "For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed." (Isa 9:16)

    All of us are individually accountable for the choices we make, but we are also accountable for the influence that we have on others. Satan will ultimately bear guilt for leading/enticing/influencing people into sin. Of course "followers" must bear the guilt for their own sinful actions, but the "leader" must share in the guilt that comes upon them. I believe it is in this sense that the Devil finally has the sins of God's people placed upon his head : the former "leader" suffers guilt for the sins that he has caused.

    If I cause/lead a man to sin, and that man goes on to receive forgiveness, I must retain guilt for my evil influence. I am in need of repentance and forgiveness too... for causing another to stray into the ditch. (Matt 15:14)

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  2. Dear teacher,

    For sure,when not guided by the Holy Spirit all the senses are weakened fully.
    Zedekiah followed a wrong path despite the fact that his father Josiah walked in the light.

    A lesson which need to be learnt among Christians is that we should guide our thoughts properly whatever the position in this world.

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  3. Now I truly understand the text in Jer 29v11. God really has great plans for us. Even when we have turned our backs on him he doesn't give up on us. He put all the stops in place for us to be saved. We serve a wonderful, loveing God.

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    • Jer 7:24-26 The people "WENT BACKWARD, AND NOT FORWARD... they did worse than their fathers."

      When we go backwards, God goes back with us. He is limited more and more, but He does all He can. (Ps 78:41 KJV)

      Yes Erica, we serve a wonderful, loving God. And yes, all the stops are in place - sorrows, disappointments, and warnings not to go on, attend the downward path. "God's love has made it hard for the heedless and headstrong to destroy themselves." (Mount of Blessing p.139)

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  4. One of the questions in the article : "Is it true that there are degrees of guilt when it comes to sin?"

    Yes, I believe that it is true. There are differences of "degree" and "magnitude" when it comes to sin. Pilate was guilty in what he did with Jesus [especially when his conscience told him that Jesus was innocent], but Jesus said to him, "he that delivered Me unto thee has the greater sin." (Jn 19:11). Both men were guilty, but one sin was definitely "greater" than the other.

    "God does not regard all sins as of equal magnitude; THERE ARE DEGREES OF GUILT in His estimation, as well as in that of man; but however trifling this or that wrong act may seem in the eyes of men, no sin is small in the sight of God." (Steps to Christ p.30).

    "Sin is sin", but if a man leads a multitude to turn away from God, then that man's sin is "very great". So it was in the case of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas. (1Sam 2:17)

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  5. That may be a little too convenient to say that “Jerusalem was destroyed because of bad leadership.” In saying that, we have to look at who constitutes the leadership. If leadership is only the king then did not the ancient princes have the responsibility to persuade the king to do better. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”- Edmund Burke. “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty of bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. I do agree that Jerusalem was destroyed because of bad leadership, but does not bad leadership survives because poor “under-leadership” allows it. I will always be amazed that good people can sit on the sidelines while major evils are being committed.

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  6. Douglas thank u 4 yo 2 inspiring qoutations. I take it that this lesson was focusing mainly on è effects of bad leadership. Leadership meaning Kings, princes, prophets, priests etc. In Jer 26 è priests & prophets wanted Jeremiah 2 be killed but princes came 2 his rescue. Hence a discussion question that says : It it true that for the sake of unity we go by what leaders decided. So leaders ( l am one) have nothing 2 take offence in but have a lot 2 learn.

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  7. The text that you refer to in Jer.37:1&2 places responsibility on all. The king, his servants, and the people of the land. They will all receive punishment for their determination to worship other gods. Yes leaders have a direct influence on others lives and God will judge accordingly. But that is not the question. How will I be judged, you and me? We have differing understandings into the character of God. If you read Jerimiah 44:15-22. You get a picture of how obstinate the remnant of Judah, under captivity to Babylon, was. God made it quite clear what He would do to them for there iniquity. Jerimiah 42 and 44 is a glimpse into Gods anger. We do not see that side of God or maybe don\'t want to. Yes God is \"Love\" but we do not always separate in our finite minds the differences. The things that were predicted to the Israelites were the expression of God\'s wrath. Yes they deserved what was in store.

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