Thursday: The Dark Years
What became of Israel and Jerusalem after rejecting God’s message? Jer. 39:8-9.
Everything that God had warned them would happen to them is exactly what happened. However much they didn’t want to believe the warnings, they certainly did believe them after it all came to pass.
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
Who hasn’t, even on a personal level, experienced something similar? We’re warned by the Lord not to do something or else this will happen, but we do it anyway and, sure enough, what we were told would happen happened.
What message is found in Jeremiah 23:2-8? What hope was given the people there?
From a human perspective, all seemed lost: their nation lay in ruins, their temple was destroyed, their rulers were exiled and held captive, and the city of Jerusalem was a pile of stones. The Jewish nation and the Jewish people should have at that time disappeared from history, as had so many other nations that had undergone what they just had.
The Lord, though, had other plans, and in the verses above (and in many others) He gave them the hope that all was not lost but that a remnant would remain and would return and through them the promises would be fulfilled. That is, amid all the warning of doom and destruction, the prophets also gave the people their only hope.
The dark years of destruction and death marking the end of the kingdom of Judah would have brought despair to the stoutest heart had it not been for the encouragements in the prophetic utterances of God’s messengers. Through Jeremiah in Jerusalem, through Daniel in the court of Babylon, through Ezekiel on the banks of the Chebar, the Lord in mercy made clear His eternal purpose and gave assurance of His willingness to fulfill to His chosen people the promises recorded in the writings of Moses. That which He had said He would do for those who should prove true to Him, He would surely bring to pass. ‘The word of God . . . liveth and abideth forever.’ 1 Peter 1:23.
-Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 464.
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Apparently many of the leaders and dwellers in Judah were hesitant to believe the prophecy of destruction, and some were out rightly defiant (Jeremiah 38:14-28). Like many in Noah’s time they needed absolute proof, to the point where only the actual judgment would convince them.
In response to the request for a sign by the Pharisees and Scribes Jesus assured them they would not have their desire. Said the Messiah, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.” (Matthew 16:4).
The Pharisees had already seen a lot of signs (Luke 6:6-11) and would yet be aware of more, including the resurrection of Lazarus (John 12:9-11). None of the signs would satisfy them. They needed proof of judgment. Signs may do little for a hard heart.
At the time of the Flood not even the amazing orderly procession of the beasts into the ark was sufficient to gain concession from the unrighteous generation (Genesis 7:7-9). They just about dared the Creator to let it rain (Hebrews 11:7).
Many of this generation are skeptical of prophecy, and some are waiting for the dark years, for a decree to establish the mark of the beast, serious acts of judgment, or even plagues, and then perhaps they will yield, they think. Too late it will be then. Divine warnings do not chase mankind’s unrealistic expectations, but offer enough evidence and then require faith.
When judgments begin it is more probable there will be greater sorrow for the consequences than the cause. Repentance is more likely to be genuine before acts of judgment. Make decisions now.
Repentance is only valid before judgement and not after.
The writing is on the wall - the fatal wound is healing speedily.
"Everything that God had warned them would happen to them is exactly what happened" Does this mean to say God knew that they will disobey him despite these warnings? Otherwise had they listened then prophecy would not have been fulfilled even Daniel's prophecy right through to the 2300 days. All I know is that an earthly man cannot comprehend the work of Jehovah.
"I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover. Eccles 8:17
Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Deu 29:29 The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
We can't understand everything about Jehovah with our finite minds, but He has revealed all we need to know in His Word.