Pray for USA and Israel
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2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies;
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts.
5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
This chapter starts out with ‘The burden of Nineveh” in verse 1. Many of us has heard the story of Nineveh. A prophet named Jonah was called to warn the city of great destruction to come. This took place around the 8th century BC under the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel after the country had split.
These were not nice people. They were cruel and ruthless and Jonah did not want them to receive mercy. They repented and God forgave. But, they went back to their previous lifestyle and they would be destroyed 200 years later by Babylon.
This brings us to the prophecy of Nahum. This is written probably 3-5 years before the destruction of Nineveh. Nineveh is the capital city of Assyria and Assyria is the world power.
When we read this book in light of today’s world’s events, it takes on a deeper, more personal meaning. You could easily put the United States in place for Nineveh.
1 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs.
Does this not sound like what is really going on? Abortion as a woman’s reproductive right and evolution taught as fact and not myth.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
This is not a message or a prophecy of the destruction of the United States. We need to be on our knees for this country and for Israel. The book of Nahum teaches us that God will use whoever to accomplish His perfect will. But if they exalt themselves above God almighty, then what comes next is not pretty.
This country was meant to be a light to the nations. Our forefathers were given a land flowing with milk and honey. We have everything we need in this country to be self sufficient.
We are a tool which should be sending out more and more missionaries and blessing the world. But somewhere along the way, the tool began to feel more powerful than the One wielding the tool. Isaiah says it best.
15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!
Nahum points our 3 things God will not allow to continue.
1. There are those who try to devise plans against God.
9 What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
This is foolishness. If you kick at the brick wall enough times will it fall down? No, you will break your foot. God is not molded by us, we are molded by Him.
13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
Pray for this country and pray for Israel.
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
2. Those who try to pull His children away. Just look at the world around us. Jesus gives a warning about this also.
Luke 17:2 (NKJV)
2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
This type of millstone was anywhere from 3-5 feet tall and weigh possibly hundreds of pounds. It was a criminal punishment used by the Romans and Greeks for someone who killed their father, sacrilege, or treason.
Jesus goes on to use the word ‘skandalizo’ for the word translated to offend means to cease believing or fall into sin.
Jesus is saying it is better for you to drown like a criminal than to cause a believer to turn their back on God. This tells me the judgement for such people will be quite severe.
This may seem extreme. Jesus is extreme. The cross is extreme. Jesus gave up everything for us. He is possessive about His own.
10 For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
3. You may enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, feeling secure in your own position, you will be destroyed.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Life without God is not freedom, but prison. You are playing a dangerous game. You are a bag of bones just walking around. There is no life.
Conclusion:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.