I'm Following Jesus – Page 1365 – Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2020
Chapters: II Kings 24-25, II Chronicles 36
Message: The Gospel First

Hello My Friend,

One of the most popular institutions in the world, and plays a great part of children’s lives, has decided to allow television programming featuring bisexual and homosexual characters. For one thing, this is uncalled for as these are little kids, sexuality is not even something they think about. Another thing, all this does is bring confusion to little minds just figuring out their own character. You know, people are going to do what they want, and if you are an adult, then that is your prerogative, but to a kid, it is down right child abuse to indoctrinate them into believing that he or she is not a he or she. The world wants to make us think that all of this is acceptable and normal to everyone, but it is this “new” normal that is bringing God’s judgment upon our nations, as nation upon nation is turning to these things that are an abomination to Him. False gods, false prophets, idolatry, immorality, homosexuality, trangenderism, these are all things that God greatly detests, and we have to face the fact that it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

[Mark 13:7-10 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.]

[And the gospel must first be published among all nations.] Do you see that? Jesus will not return until the very last person to accept the Gospel gets saved. We have been reading through Jeremiah about the fall of Judah, the chapters we are reading today go into more detail about how He sent judgment upon them. If we should learn anything from this story it is that, every nation that turns on God will be destroyed, but if we trust Him, and wait patiently, He will restore everything better than what it was. This judgment started from Manasseh, who brought much evil into the nation when he sacrificed his own children. Josiah slowed things down when he reigned with his great reform, but as soon as he died they went back to their wicked ways, refusing to repent.

[II Chronicles 36:1-5-6 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.]

[And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem,] Egypt was actually the first to come into Jerusalem and take Israel, and there was nothing Israel could have done, except repent, to stop it as this judgment came from God Himself. Now, after they carried Jehoahaz off, they Eliakim, the kings brother, whom they renamed Jehoiakim, king over Israel. Jehoiakim means, whom Jehovah sets up. It was not God’s plan to use Egypt to take over Israel, He was going to use Babylon for that, II Kings also goes into more detail about this, Nebuchadnezzar came into Jerusalem, shortly after Jehoiakim began to reign, Egypt ran, fearing for their lives as they were too strong for them. Eleven years later, Nebuchadnezzar took Israel, and made Jehoiachin king, and that did not last very long at all, in three months he was carried off to Babylon.

[II Kings 24:8-10,13-15 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. 10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.]

[And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,] You would think that at this point they would have just surrendered to God, but they refused, each king becoming more proud and rebellious than the last one.

[II Kings 24:17-20 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.]

[until he had cast them out from his presence,] All judgments come from God because He cannot stand to see His people living more wickedly than the world. God is merciful, and quite patient, but at some point, enough is enough, and judgment will come because that is the only option left. I mean, come on, what happened to morality? You cannot even walk down the street without being exposed to sinful lifestyles. God will not watch His people living in their abominations, He has had it with the false gods, religion, and shedding of innocent blood. God did not cause all these things to happen, wicked, selfish, immoral, and religious people, caused it, but He is finishing it, [I Peter 4:17-18 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?]

God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge Judah, he carried most of the Jews into Babylon, only leaving the really poor behind, and he completely destroyed the nation that God put His name on. Zedekiah had every opportunity to turn this around, and even went to Jeremiah a few times, but refused to accept that they were to be taken to Babylon. He not only rebelled, so did the priests, and many others, in fact, they even tried to kill Jeremiah.

[II Chronicles 36:11-16 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD. 13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.]

[till there was no remedy.] Jesus Christ is the remedy. This nation does not have to fall into the hands of Satan. It does not have to become desolate of any form of morality, it does not have to become impoverished of any form of humanity, and it does not have to become a wasteland of any form of god. God does not want to destroy all the earth, but it is the only remedy, the second He tells His Son that it is time to return, we will hear those trumpets sound, and judgment will begin. God did more than cast them out of His presence, He had the entire temple destroyed as well, but not before all the vessels inside were taken to Babylon.

[II Kings 25:8-9,21-22 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land. 22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.]

[And he burnt the house of the LORD,] I imagine this was allowed by God because He no longer wanted His house to be used for the abominations they were using it for. Nevertheless, the true house of the LORD is not four walls with some windows, pictures, and pews, it is the saved souls of the LORD, Jesus Christ. Amen! We can always replace and restore material things, but a lost soul that never received Christ can never be, it will be cast into the lake of fire, and will burn there for eternity.

[Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.]

Today’s Prayer: God, It is so sad to see the world falling apart, even my own nation has forsaken You, and turned to abominable lifestyles, idols, and false religion. I know Your Son is returning, and things are going to get worse before that happens, we need a revival, a spiritual revival of all who know You, but are afraid to stand up speak the truth. A revival of faith, boldness, and passion to speak the Gospel, and not be shamed. Lord, give us Your power to get up and fight, the strength to keep going in Your truths, and the plan, wisdom and tools we need, to help You restore the Church before You do send Your Son, and we are out of here. Give us Your mercy, grace, and hedge of protection from all the evils. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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