Mon.’s Devo - Nations and Leaders

Read: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46; Titus 1:1-16; Psalms 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 26:13-16 Jeremiah spoke against Syria and told them basically the same thing he told Moab, Ammon, and Edom. Babylon was coming to destroy Damascus, their capital, with fire and their people would be killed. Next would be Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor. They were the nomadic tribes of the Arabs. The Bedouins were the descendants of the second son of Ishmael. They dwelt in the north-west of Arabia and lived in black hair-tents. To "dwell in the tents of Kedar" was to be cut off from the worship of the true God. God sent the Babylonians to defeat them. They ran for the caves to hide. God called their nation a wealthy, careless, complacent nation, but now their peace was going to be disrupted. God spoke to Elam which was a son of Shem. Elam was Persia and they were being judged because they helped Nebuchadnezzar against Judea. They were know for their archers. God would one day restore them through Cyrus, the king. Last, God would destroy the Babylonian kingdom who he used to judge the other nations. Darius, the Mede, who lived north of Babylon would be their destroyer. But one day, God’s people would return to their land and their eternal covenant with the Lord would be remembered. Babylon would become a barren wasteland while Jerusalem would become a thriving garden. Today we start reading the book of Titus. Titus was a devoted convert of Paul’s at the church at Crete. He was a Greek who never got circumcised which shows that he never bought the lie of the Judaizers. Paul’s letter to him was to make sure he found good leaders to help him to proclaim the faith and teach the people how to live godly lives. The leaders he chose needed to be able to handle and rule their own households well because those who could raise a godly family could raise a godly church family. These leaders also needed to love people and be able to give encouraging and convicting teachings. Crete was known for being a city full of liars, cruelty and laziness so that was what he was to fight against. Lord, thank you that you judge the world with justice and the nations with fairness. We trust in your hand upon our lives and our nation.