Our Troubles Are Just Beginning!

"I will hand them over to trouble, to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.” --- Jeremiah 15:4

There are certain acts on the part of the Creator of this universe that are to be avoided at all costs and some people at least, as they think through the issues, will agree. But the major problem is that we are at that stage in the history of our republic that God is not considered to be worthy of serious consideration by the majority.

And there is a rather popular heresy that has been adopted within the religious element of our country that refuses to acknowledge that God may be capable of doing some things that are rather negative in scope. For too many, God is a God Who would never do anything that is unpleasant and nasty in our way of thinking – after all, God is a God of love and we are all His children, right? To which a number of persons would give a hearty “Amen!” if not too worried as to what people might think if such an utterance came out of their mouth!

A nation that has its roots in the acknowledgment of God. serious attention to His Word and in its earlier years possessed a national spirit that sought to honor God on part of leaders and citizens will experience blessings as obedience is considered a priority and increased troubles as it lapses into a state of disobedience.

The history of a nation of long ago demonstrates clearly WHAT NOT TO DO in relationship to God. Eventually these people were informed that God was going to hand them over to trouble! Most will pay no attention to this lesson, so it is certain that we will repeat it as did they and learn the hard way that ignoring God is very costly and ultimately very deadly.

The troubles are a mix of many things – an unstable weather system, financial chaos, increased conflicts, military setbacks and defeat, diseases, and eventually overrun or coming under the control of foreign powers! It is a wise thing to review the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy from time to time -- that way when things begin to break loose some of us are not surprised.

Take a good honest look and see this drama being played out before your very eyes. There may be a day come when our leaders (political and religious) will issue an appeal that we should seek God and pray for His help – that is, when the troubles handed to us become so intense that we have come to the end of our rope and find out that we can’t solve all these problems by ourselves! And just what do you think God’s answer will be?

Here’s one possibility – “…. For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me," says the LORD. --- Jeremiah 2:27b-29

Face it -- our elected officials in Washington DC and at the state level haven't done a single thing to help move this nation toward a favorable relationship with Almighty God -- if anything, their attitudes, political shenanigans and lifestyles constitute giving God an obscene gesture! Our troubles are really just beginning!

But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations( he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.”…….. Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD. --- 2 Kings 21:9-12, 16