No Remedy

[Zedekiah] became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:13-14, 16, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 36:12, NIV 1984). The end of a long line of mostly evil kings. The Lord’s anger had been aroused before, but now “there was no remedy.“

Say what you will, but the Lord had been more than gracious. But “a man [or nation] who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.” (Proverbs 28:27, NIV 1984). That time came for Israel (the northern kingdom) when it fell to the Assyrians in 721 B.C. Now, the time had come for Judah (the southern kingdom), falling to the Babylonians in 586 B.C.

“God handed [Judah] over to Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.” (2 Chronicles 36:17-19, NIV 1984).

My Musings – “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man [nation] reaps what he [it] sows.” (Galatians 6:7, NIV 1984).

The nations – If God took down the nation of His chosen people, it would be foolish for any other nation to believe they were exempt from judgment when they continue to mock God by how they conduct their affairs. “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.” (Isaiah 60:12, NIV 1984).

The person – God did not leave mankind with no remedy. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NIV 1984). But let’s be very clear about this – there is no other remedy. And without receiving this remedy of Christ dying for our sins, we will certainly “reap what [we] sow” and die in our sins. For our sins, or in our sins, the choice is ours.