Wednesday, April 18, 2018

THE BLOODY CITY

Today’s Reading: Nahum 3

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

The Karnak Temple ruins can be seen along the Nile River. A Statue to Ramses II still stands tall in the Egyptian sun. Nahum prophesied that Assyria would receive the same treatment that they had given the ancient Egyptian capital city of No Amon (Thebes). According to Egyptian records, the destruction of Thebes by Assyria took place in 664 B.C. The destruction of Nineveh, Assyria, is dated in 612 B.C.  The decision to include Nahum in the Bible, made by the council of Rabbis, was based on the fact of his accurate prediction of future events. It has been calculated that Nahum probably wrote the book named after him in the year 654 B.C., at least 42 years before predicted events took place.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: Nahum 3:18

“Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and no one gathers them.”

 

It is certain that Nahum knew all about the repentance before God by the king, the nobles and the people of Nineveh approximately 65 years before the writing of this book, as a result of the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:1-10). Nineveh, over the space of two generations, had degenerated from a God-fearing people to the people Nahum describes, a “bloody city,” “full of lies and robbery,” violence, and sexual seduction (Nahum 3:1-4). There is sadness in Nahum’s words at the decline of the moral standards of a once upright people. In our key verse, Nahum puts the blame for this turning away from doing what is right in God’s sight directly on the business community (“merchants”), the government (“commanders”, “captains”) and religious leaders (“shepherds”), the leaders of Assyria.

We who live in the developed world have seen a huge change in moral standards over the past 65 years. From the end of World War Two until now, there has been a steady rise in violence on our streets, in our schools and in our homes. The greatest change morally has been the destruction of millions of little lives in what should be the safest place on earth, the wombs of their mothers. This holocaust against these defenceless lives must call out to God for judgment, as did the holocaust against the Jews by the Nazis. Today’s reading should teach us the terrible results when leaders abdicate their responsibility. Eventually “people are scattered”… “injury has no healing”… and the “wound is severe.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I repent for not doing all I might have done to help prevent the moral decline that is obvious to anyone who studies the statistics on violence, family breakdown, sexual promiscuity, etc. I pray for grace to take a stand daily for what is right in Your eyes, holding the truth in love, and living my life with integrity. Keep me faithful to You, O Lord, in reading and making part of myself Your Holy Word every day. May I do as the Psalmist wrote, “Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You!” (Psalm 119:11). May my reading today be not just in my head, but may it penetrate my innermost being. In the Name of the only sinless human Person, Your divine Son, Jesus, I pray. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Some scholars believe that Elkosh (Nahum 1:1), the hometown of Nahum, is Capernaum (“Kafer Nahum” – village of Nahum). After Nahum’s accurate prophesies, some say the name of his village was changed to honour him. Capernaum was the town to which Jesus moved after His rejection in Nazareth. It was the home of Matthew, Peter, Andrew, James and John. A New Testament reading today might be Matthew 4:12-17. Here “Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent.'” I think that Nahum would’ve supported Jesus’ message! I’ll try to put below some pictures of the ruins of Capernaum from the time of Jesus.

I have called myself on several occasions “a champion of loosing causes.” The latest being my attempts to influence a majority of Canada’s political leaders to support the traditional and Biblical meaning of the word “Marriage.” We do have leaders in government who do not “slumber”, as Nahum said of the Assyrian shepherds. But there are not enough leaders who are wide awake and who stand up for just causes. While I believe the marriage issue is important, I also believe that the “slaughter of the innocents” in the abortion industry is the greatest evil in our land. We are in this respect a “bloody city” (Nahum 3:1a). Canada has absolutely no protection in law for the little ones in the womb. The final prophesy given by Jesus is worth reading again in this context (read Luke 23:28-31). May God have mercy on us!

Yours for remembering that on Good Friday, Jesus took into Himself the judgment deserved by all the sin mentioned in today’s reading, all the sins mentioned in the entire Bible, and all the sins of the human race, past, present and future. On that day, Jerusalem was truly “The bloody city”,

David

P.S. Jesus prophesied about the town of Nahum, Capernaum, as recorded in Matthew 11:23-30. Capernaum is only a tourist destination today. This once bustling commercial centre is uninhabited today. Here are some pictures which would seem to support Jesus’ prophecy.

The tourist entrance to the ancient ruins of Capernaum (“Kafer Nahum” – village of Nahum).

An ancient millstone among the ruins of Capernaum.

 

14 thoughts on “Wednesday, April 18, 2018

  1. Proof in the scripture, once again. Here’s to holding to the root of the Bible, and God’s love for us through His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Blessings upon blessings to all saints.

    When you arise in the morning, give thanks
    for the morning light, for your life and strength.
    Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living.
    ~Tecumseh, Shawnee Chief~

    Nicole C. Mullen – My Redeemer Lives (Lyrics)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRW-jr_PnbQ

  2. I believe David gave us this a few weeks ago:”Keep Me True”.It fits.I have to run off to Physio Therapy.Have a blessed day and make David’s concerns our concerns too:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqaLuchjXj8&list=RDhqaLuchjXj8

    WHY Mommy?

    Why did you kill me mommy?
    Why do you seek to be defiled?
    Why was I killed inside your tummy?
    Why could I not be your child?

    Why do you call sex ‘making love’?
    Why is that lie portrayed to be true?
    Why do you hate gifts from above?
    Why do you freely do what you do?

    Why is sex like shaking hands?
    Why can’t you control your lust?
    Why do devils from foreign lands
    Give us laws while stealing our trust?
    G W (Bill) Marshall / 31 July, 2014
    Abortinists from the US came to help
    PEI abortinists change the law and
    legalize the murder of unborn children
    instead of teaching women not to use
    their bodies as amusements parks.
    No copyright intended​

    • Nice to ‘see’ you back again Bill.
      May God’s Holy Spirit Comfort you in all ways.
      Your words are haunting…. This world is so often consumed in darkness and overshadowed in problems and hurts.
      We praise God that His Son ☀️Reigns ???? and cleanses us all from our own failings.✝️????

  3. Agreeing with David’s prayer of repentance for nation of Canada; and praying that once again, this wonderful nation of Canada woould be a nation under God! For there to be respect and love within homes; and for divine intervention within

    the governing body of this nation. For leaders in each section of leadership would call upon God’s guidance, particularly within our education system!

    Lord Jesus I pray for Your intervention for this Nation of Canada!

    Great photos of Capernaum;

  4. I’m getting hit from all sides! enough is enough Lord! I rebuke the devil!
    prayer line is blocked, has a horrible cold callus recording!
    town not taking responsibility for hill coming down;
    Lord I can’t take much more of this crap! ! am 23 years free from booze/smokes Lord I need YOUR Help in this situation; I need You Lord to provide me with a financial windfall to fix the wall; and all the other things such as the upgrades in my home, Lord I only have You to lean on, please, help me Lord in Jesus name I Pray amen

    • Lord Jesus I pray for intervention in Sah’s life and situation; And I come in agreement with her request for a financial breakthrough, In the Mighty Name of Jesus I pray! Amen! I pray for Your Peace to enfold her heart and mind. Thank You Jesus!

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