The POOR Will Rise Again
S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
2 Kings 25:12
But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
O-bservation:
This, of course, is the story of what Nebuchadnezzar’s eventual takeover and destruction of Jerusalem looked like. The prophets had prophesied it was on the way, and it happened. After Jerusalem was destroyed, including the burning of Solomon’s temple and the destruction of the walls surrounding the city, they left the poorest of the Israelites to work the vineyards. They slaughtered or carried the rest away to Babylon.
A-pplication:
When one reads the first chapter of Daniel, one quickly sees that the brightest and most brilliant of the Israeli folks were taken to be used as assistants to Nebuchadnezzar himself. But this passage specifically mentions the POOR being left behind to do the backbreaking, manual labor in the vineyards. As if they were slaves on their own property. In this case, this group of POOR folks had children, and it was those same children and their children who many years later helped Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. That’s right, Nebuchadnezzar had died, and his grandson had gone off the rails, and a new nation and king ruled. So he sent Nehemiah into Jerusalem to use those kids and grandkids of the POOR to build it back up! This means that oftentimes, “The POOR Will Rise Again.”
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
When I was a little boy, I learned that being poor meant you worked harder and were quick to learn and prove yourself. Thank you. And thank You that slowly, but surely the tide will usually turn for people when they work and believe. Amen
Comments (2)
Amen. I did
Amen! “Sometimes up and sometimes down, sometimes almost to the ground…” As God is on my side, I am never all the way to the ground. And, as Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth and the H.S. commanded Jesus to rise up, whenever we are down our faith is always active in urging, nudging and often loudly demanding us to RISE UP! When we are prayed up, even self-pity will not hold you to the ground. As Donnie sang umpteen years ago and we have forgotten so many songs since: “we fall down, but we get up!” PTL Amen!