Sun.’s Devo - The Secrets of the Cities

Read: Jer. 49:23-50:46; Titus 1:1-16; Ps. 97:1-98:9; Pr. 26:13-16 All the cities in the Old Testament mean something to us in the New. God is bringing judgment on Heshbon which means “reasoning”, Ai - “a heap of ruins”, Rabbah - “great”, Teman - “southward” (i.e. the Devil’s territory), Dedan - “their love”, Esau - “his doings”, Bozrah - “a fold”, Damascus - “silent is the sackcloth weaver”, Hamath - “walled”, Arpad - “spread out”, Kedar - “darkness”, and Hazor - “village”, Elam - “eternal”. So what does this all mean to us since it says that it will happen again in the last days? God is going to judge man’s carnal reasoning and all the things they thought were important that were nothing but a heap of ruins- relics of the past. He will bring their greatness to nothing, the things they love and their ways will be judged. Their “fold” or nation will be filled with death and mourning. This judgment will fall on those who think they are secure in a walled nation, those that are spread out, those in villages, and those in darkness. God says in verse 38 that He will set his throne in “eternity” and destroy the kings and princes of darkness. In chapter 50, God judges those in Babylon (confusion) and the Chaldeans - the astrologers. The astrologers of today are the New Agers, the eastern religions and basically everyone who tries to seek spiritual powers through means other than Christ. God wages war against the gods of the Babylonians (Bel- their lord, Merodach- confusion). But as for Israel, she will be brought back to her land and enjoy fruitfulness and growth once again. Her sins will be forgiven. They are told to wage war on Merathaim (bitterness) and Pekod (punishment) and the proud. When we come out of a time of discipline we need to guard against being bitter towards those God chose to use to discipline us. We also need to guard against thinking we were being punished instead of disciplined. The devil punishes, God disciplines in love. When God gets ready to bring Israel out of bondage there is nothing that can stop him. He is our strong Redeemer. Lord, may we hold fast the faithful word and teach sound doctrine.