Thoughts on the Bible Readings (2 Kings 3; Jeremiah 51, 1 Corinthians 11) for Aug 29th.

The story told in 2 Kings 3 is most curious indeed. Verses 1-8 tell us of the time that the two kings of Israel and Judah - Jehoram and Jehoshaphat - set out to wage war against Moab who had rebelled and failed to pay the massive tribute that had been imposed on them by Jehoram. Jehoram and Jehoshaphat were not expecting to be defeated by the weather. Surely Yahweh would not have it so. A minstrel was called to induce a mood conducive to the prophet Elisha and this is perhaps puzzling to us. God sent the rain only where the allies  - Israel and Judah were encamped. The Almighty also sent a wind which deluded Moab into believing the two kings had turned on each other. The foes of Israel and Judah rushed unknowingly to their destruction. What a gross incident concludes the sorry tale with the Moabite king sacrificing his son to placate his idol that demands human blood - Chemosh.

In Jeremiah 51 we have the story in apocalyptic language of Babylon's overthrow. The chapter encapsulates the entire latter portion of the book of Revelation. For yourself it is a worthwhile exercise to open one Bible at Jeremiah 51 and alongside it another opened to Revelation chapters 17-19. Next find how many direct quotes and allusions you can find in the Revelation chapters from Jeremiah 51. The conclusion that this leads you to is that "Babylon the Great" in in the book of Revelation and the mysterious Babylon of Jeremiah 51 are one and the same. An idolatrous and mysterious religious system which today speaks of the mysterious Babylon of the Roman Catholic Church: Revelation 17 verses4-6, 18,18 verses 1-8, 10-17, 19-24; 19 verses 1-3. These overlords who subjected Jerusalem to their cruelties and idolatrous worship were judged by the LORD God Almighty and His saints. Isaiah contrasts those rulers with Judah's Sovereign: Isaiah 26 verses 13-14 compare with Jeremiah 51 verses 39, 57. Those Babylonian rulers were to die and never rise again - "they shall not rise" (Isaiah 26); they shall "sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake (Jeremiah 51). In contrast those trusting in God will experience peace and rise to eternal life - Isaiah 26 verses 1-3, 19-21. 

In 1 Corinthians 11 Paul proves that our Almighty Sovereign's purpose is evident in the creative work of His angels and the hierarchy that this established. God is supreme, a theme that will be expanded in chapter 15, under Him is His Divine Son - who stands as the head and archetype of the entire creation. Next, in the creative order comes the man, then the woman. Paul points out that there is a mutually dependent relationship in Christ between husband and wife. However, as an acknowledgment of the creative order in the work of the angels, it's important for the women to worship acknowledging the principle that women should worship with their heads covered. The Apostle then speaks of practices that were incongruous in the context of the celebration of the Lord's memorial supper of bread and wine. He urges that self examination is imperative to the receiving of the emblems of our Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice. And so the great Apostle declares that before we take the bread we need to scrutinise ourselves. None of us take the emblems with a sense of worthiness - we acknowledge that we are  weak, erring and struggling with our mortality and the ravages that sin has brought on our fallen condition and our proneness to sin with which we wrestle on a daily basis. But the important thing is that we continue to strive against sin relentlessly. This we do in remembering our Lord's offering: Hebrews 12 verses 1-11. Surely those who have given up fighting against sin will be condemned with the world. Brother Thomas exquisitely says of the breaking of the bread on page 296 of Elpis Israel: "for to eat his flesh is to digest, and make a part of our mental selves, the truth concerning the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ."