From: October 26, 2024
“The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet… For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it…” (Jeremiah 50:1-3 ESV).
Written during a period when Babylon was at the height of its power, this prophecy of Jeremiah stands out because it anticipates the eventual conquest and destruction of Babylon by the Medo-Persian Empire under King Cyrus, which would take place about 70 years after Judah’s exile began. The prophecy foretold not only Babylon’s downfall, but its “desolation,” predicting that neither man nor beast would ever dwell there again.
This is still true over 2,400 years later. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but now there is only desert in its place. It is said that Saddam Hussein planned to rebuild Babylon anew in his modern Iraq, yet the sand still blows over the supposed site.
Babylon has fallen never to rise again, yet God’s Word still stands. This prophecy reveals God’s sovereignty over nations and empires, His faithfulness to His people even in judgment, and His ability to bring about justice in His timing.
PRAYER: Dear Father, our world today is filled with the news of terrorism and war. We are tempted to be afraid and filled with anxiety at the disunity and moral decline of our nation. Yet, You are God. You are sovereign and Your timing is perfect. Therefore we place our trust in You and in You alone. Bring revival to our land. We turn our eyes to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: October 26, 2023
“This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began” (Titus 1:2 NLT).
In Paul’s letter to Titus, he described himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ who lived and preached to give believers a confident hope of eternal life. This eternal life is not only of the soul, but of the body. For the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus is the prototype of that which all who have trusted in Him will one day inherit. Paul described this as being promised by God before time began. In other words, God had planned for our eternal life before He created us, before He set the hands of time in motion. For God stands outside of time. He is the timeless and eternal One. More than that, as Paul wrote, He cannot lie. Paul does not say, God “does not” lie, but that He “cannot” lie. Why? Because it is against His righteous character. God is absolute truth, therefore He cannot lie. This means that whatever He promises is true. Not only that, because God is omnipotent, He is able to keep whatever he promises.
The resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead is proof of God’s promise and power. Do you believe this? Do you share this resurrection hope of eternal life?
PRAYER: Dear Father, how great are Your plans for us, how wonderful Your love! We are amazed that You have promised us eternal life and that You have adopted us into Your family through Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to cling to the hope of eternal life today and to share the gospel with all those we meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: October 26, 2022
TITUS REMEMBERED ON CRETE
Although it is uncertain when the apostle Paul visited the island of Crete, that he did visit it, and that he left Titus behind to establish its church, is a matter of history. Paul’s pattern would have been to do this work himself, but some pressing concern must have caused him to entrust this foundational work to his spiritual son, Titus.
My wife and I visited Crete in 2013. We arrived by ship and walked from the harbor to its capital, Heraklion. There, we found the object of our journey, namely, the Agios Titos, the Church of Saint Titus. Within this Greek Orthodox Church, they claim to have the skull of Saint Titus, proudly displaying it in a gold-encrusted setting.
The practice of keeping relics is an ancient one and it seems certain that neither Titus nor Paul would’ve wanted such. Yet, the existence of the church, and even the macabre (to Western eyes) relic of Saint Titus, point to the reality that the church planting efforts of Paul and Titus have withstood the test of time and of history.
The Bible can be trusted. The people and places it describes are real.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we trust Your Word. We read it everyday to feed our souls and to encourage our minds. Thank you for giving us Your Word. Now strengthen us by Your Spirit to live for You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: October 26, 2017
The psalmist praised the “LORD.” When English translations use all caps for this word, it shows that the revealed name, “Yahweh,” is being translated. Because the Jews considered the name too holy to say, they substituted the word “Adonai,” or Lord in its place when reading it aloud. Yahweh was the name that God had “made known” to Moses at the burning bush. It was the LORD who brought little Israel out of Egypt and established them as a nation in Canaan, so that all the nations knew He had delivered them. Yet, this was only a foreshadowing of the salvation God would “make known” through Christ Jesus. Now, Jesus has commanded His disciples to “go” and “make known” the good news of His salvation to the “nations” (Matt. 28:19-20).
From: October 26, 2016
Seventy years later this prophecy was fulfilled as Cyrus came from the North and destroyed Babylon. The latter part of the prophecy, that no one would live there again, is still true over 2,400 years later. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but now there is only desert in its place. It is said that Saddam Hussein planned to rebuild Babylon anew in his modern Iraq, yet the sand still blows over the supposed site. God’s Word continues to stand, but Babylon has fallen never to rise again.
From: October 26, 2015
Seventy years later this prophecy was fulfilled as Cyrus came from the North and destroyed Babylon. The latter part of the prophecy, that no one would live there again, is still true over 2,400 years later. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but now there is only desert in its place. It is said that Saddam Hussein planned to rebuild Babylon anew in his modern Iraq, yet the sand still blows over the supposed site. God’s Word continues to stand, but Babylon has fallen never to rise again.
