Tag: Good vs evil

Ezekiel 39:1-24 – Good vs. Evil

Read Ezekiel 39:1-24

The episode of oracles involving Gog concludes here with God’s victory. However, Gog and Magog are mentioned again in Revelation 20. I find it curious that such a mystery exists around who Gog and Magog actually are. I think that’s because they are not real people but symbolic representations of something much bigger than two individuals or one individual and it’s land.

The mind can be boggled when you let yourself explore the vastness of God and his plans for his people. Ezekiel and his audience would have been confused, too, since scholars and teachers cannot concur on Gog’s identity. Continue reading “Ezekiel 39:1-24 – Good vs. Evil”

Jeremiah 24:1-10 – Good Figs

Read Jeremiah 24:1-10

fig growing on a tree

When you picture these people being taken into exile, away from everything that’s familiar, the vision is not pretty. Imagine the despair and longing for how things used to be! In today’s reading, God uses the vision of figs as more than just a depiction of good and evil. Jeremiah now has a much different picture of how God sees those living in exile. They represent the good figs.

Have you ever stopped to think about what the people left behind in Jerusalem must have been thinking? Did they feel victorious because they weren’t the ones whisked away into the unknown? Perhaps they felt superior having been spared this brutality. According to the fig story, their reality is quite the opposite.

Continue reading “Jeremiah 24:1-10 – Good Figs”

2 Kings 14:1-22 – Bad Things Still Happen

Read 2 Kings 14:1-22

Man standing with thought bubble above his head asking "WHY?"

You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy reading about the history of God’s people. We’re God’s people, so this is our story as well. In this reading we see where the good king doesn’t win. Haven’t we seen the pattern of the good kings getting victory because they are followers of the LORD? Even Scripture alludes to this change, “Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David.” (Disclosure: obedience doesn’t always lead to victory!)

So, it makes sense that Amaziah would not necessarily have enjoyed the taste of victory every time like David had. The difference, David would have consulted with God about a battle. We didn’t see any evidence of that when Amaziah, almost boastfully, called for battle with Israel’s king. What would have possessed him to do such a thing? That conflict would be between brothers and certainly didn’t seem like something God would approve of!

Continue reading “2 Kings 14:1-22 – Bad Things Still Happen”
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