The Dark Hour: a dark thriller

The Dark Hour by KJ Young is a dark thriller. Mark Norman is desperate for a job. With bills and debts piling up, he takes a job as a live-in home health aide for Roy and Alma Walgrave, two wealthy elderly siblings. Living in the Alden Manor, a run-down mansion, the Walgraves are former stage magicians. While they give off eerie vibes, making strange requests of their employees, Mark ignores it all as they are wealthy and careless with their money. As he makes himself essential to the Walgraves, Mark finds himself dreaming of inheriting their fortunes. Despite warnings of evil, Mark ignores it all. Until odd and unsettling things begin to happen. He is terrified that he is losing his mind or even his life. But can he walk away when the possibility of a big financial windfall might be coming his way? 

I was looking forward to a good thriller. An eerie old house and warnings from a creepy stranger definitely sets the mood. What I got was a not-so-thrilling story as it reminded me too much of the film The Skeleton Key (2005). Mark is immediately unlikable and annoying and left me uncaring if he escaped this twisted web he found himself in. As the job offer comes to him, Mark thinks that luck is finally on his side. Even as he begins to suspect his job was too good to be true, his greed keeps him there. And the extent of the web he finds himself in was too convenient and left me wondering if I missed details that would link all the players. If you are a fan of dark thrillers, you may enjoy it. However, I do not recommend The Dark Hour. 

The Dark Hour is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Jezebel: a lesson and warnings in idolatry

Jezebel is a name that has become synonymous with a wanton or sinful woman. As a Phoenician princess, Jezebel was the daughter of the priest-king of Sidon and became queen when she married King Ahab. She was a woman of great conviction and unwavering devotion. She worshiped Baal, the pagan fertility and Asherah, the mother goddess (Ackerman, 1999). She was a religious woman who set out to spread idolatry throughout Israel. She was a powerful, cunning, and arrogant woman who actively stood up and opposed God. She knew how to enhance and use her power at the expense of others. Jezebel meets a gruesome end as her arrogance leads to a death unworthy of a queen. What is her story? What is the significance of idolatry in her story? And why does God warn us against idolatry? 

Jezebel was so determined to convert all of Israel that she hunted and killed all YHWH’s prophets and replaced them with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Asherah. One prophet escaped and became her most hated adversary. Elijah, whose name means “My God is YHWH”, and Jezebel would square off and it would be a battle to the death. Elijah prophesied to King Ahab that no rain would fall except by his word (1 Kings 17:1) and for three and half years, there was drought and famine. Elijah would challenge the prophets of Baal and Asherah to see which god would rain fire from heaven. For twelve hours, the prophets called on Baal and Asherah to light the sacrificial fires but nothing. To add emphasis, Elijah doused his sacrificial wood with water three times and then called on God to light the fire which happened immediately. Elijah then rallied the Israelites to kill Jezebel’s prophets. Jezebel would be outraged and vowed to kill Elijah (1 Kings 18:19-40, 19:2). Jezebel would also plot to kill a man simply because the king wanted his vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-16), Elijah prophesied Jezebel’s gruesome end (1 Kings 21:20-23) and it would come to pass as she was pushed from a window and devoured by dogs in the street (2 Kings 9:30-37). 

Idolatry is the worship of idols. It is usually an item that is worshiped as if it were the god. For example, an idol of Baal, which is in the image of the god, would be worshiped as if it was Baal himself.  Idolatry comes from the Greek, eidolatria, meaning “worship of idols” which appears to be borrowed from various Hebrew phrases meaning “strange worship” (Chrisholm, 1911). It is “humanity’s attempt to give material shape to religious ideals, symbols, and personages” (Lee, 2015). Today, it is also the extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone. An idol is anything or anyone that supplants or placed higher than God in our lives. We need to be mindful of what could possibly be an idol in our lives. A few example of modern idols are sex, money, fame and even important people in our lives. Charles Spurgeon once said “If you love anything better than God you are idolaters: if there is anything you would not give up for God it is your idol: if there is anything that you seek with greater fervor than you seek the glory of God, that is your idol, and conversion means a turning from every idol.”

God’s warnings about idolatry are very clear. Exodus 20:3-6 warns against any idols before God or the worship of any of these idols. Leviticus 19:4 says “Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves.” God would consistently remind the Israelites that the idols do not save them (Judges 10:14, Psalm 16:4, Isaiah 45:20, Jonah 2:8). The New Testament turns to warnings about physical and intangible idols. Paul warns us to stop (“put to death”) whatever belongs to our earthly nature including sexual immorality, evil desires and greed (Colossians 3:5 and Galatians 5:19-21). 1 Corinthians 10:14 and 1 John 5:21 instruct us to flee from idols. The question that remains is why no idolatry? I believe that the psalmist says it best in Psalm 135:15-18, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” Those who worship idols become like the empty figures they worship. They cannot see or hear God and cannot speak of Him. Trust in God himself not an image or a lifeless figure. 

There is no doubt that Jezebel was an educated woman with particular astuteness for the political realm. She was also a woman who hardened her heart and suffered the consequences. She has become the worst queen and one of the Bible’s most infamous women. Revelation 2:20, 21 uses her name as an example of those who completely reject God. Many pagan women married Israelite royalty, bringing their practices with them. Jezebel being the most vocal and determined to see God wiped from Israel’s consciousness. However, God is bigger than one individual on earth. Idolatry causes us to lose focus from God the Father and Creator of all to the image made of earthly materials. Ask God to teach and guide you in all your days, so that you can gain wisdom and fight against the evil that surrounds you. 

Reference

Ackerman, Sarah (31 December 1999). Asherah/Asherim: Bible, Jewish Women's Archive. 

https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/asherahasherim-bible#:~:text=Asherah%2C%20along%20with%20Astarte%20and,found%20in%20the%20Israelite%20tradition. Retrieved March 21, 2022. 

Brenner, Athalya (31 December 1999). Jezebel: Bible. Jewish Women’s Archive. 

https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/jezebel-bible. Retrieved March 12, 2022. 

Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Idolatry. Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 14 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Idolatry. Retrieved March 21, 2022. 

Lee, Dennis (29 July 2015). God warns us to stay away from idols. The Spectrum. 

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/local/mesquite/2015/07/29/god-warns-us-stay-away-idols/30851977/. Retrieved March 21, 2022. 

Revelation: more than just end time prophecy

The final book of the Bible is the book of Revelation. A book which has many interpretations through the centuries. Its purpose is to reveal the full identity of Christ and give warning to nonbelievers and hope to believers. It was written by the apostle John. According to tradition, he wrote it while in exile on the island of Patmos. While the book is filled with imagery and prophecy, I do not intend to discuss the possible meanings as it would take far too long. And there are countless books on the market if anyone is interested. I will discuss the messages and lessons we can take from the seven churches. Each church either has a praise and/or reprimand which are qualities we need to seek and those we need to avoid as a church and as a believer.

First, the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) is praised for its hard work and perseverance. The ancient city of Ephesus was located in present day Izmir Province, Turkey. It was a very important port of trade and a center of early Christianity. Paul wrote the letter of Ephesians to the church and church tradition claims the Gospel of John was written there. The church did not tolerate wickedness and tested those who claimed to be apostles and found those who proved false (verse 2). They endured hardships and did not grow weary (verse 3). However, they have forsaken their first love (verse 4). They had lost their enthusiasm and zeal for Christ which is common for many believers as years past from the moment they first believed. Christ calls them to remember and repent (verse 5). Many new believers have love for God without knowledge but with time, many have knowledge of Him without the same love. To be effective for God, we must have both. Unfortunately, for many Christians as they study God’s word, they tend to focus on pointing out the sins of others rather on their own. We must remember the joy of forgiveness as we gain knowledge of God through studying of his word. It is when we have both that we can teach others about the love of God and the joy we can have in Him.

Second, the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) is praised for suffering persecution and poverty (verse 9) and there is no reprimand. The city of Smyrna was located on the western coast of Asia Minor at the head of the gulf which the Hermus River (today is known as the Gediz River) flows. The church is told to be faithful and do not fear coming trials (verse 10). To remain faithful in difficult times is, well, difficult. It is easy to turn away from God when all you see is pain and suffering. But when you turn to God and focus on His promise of hope and joy, the difficult times will not last. As tests to our faith develops perseverance for future trials (James 1:2). The lesson we can take from the church of Smyrna is to remain faithful, trust God and seek Him as we face difficult times. I understand that when amid turmoil, it can be easier said than done. When faced with extreme difficulties, we often forget to turn God. I know I have. I have learned in recent years to pray first. A quick prayer of “Lord, help me” is sometimes all the words that are needed. The Lord knows what is going on and He knows what needs to be done and what He wants to us to turn to Him. The church of Smyrna is a great example of this reliance on God.

Third, the church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) is praised for their faith. They remained true to his name; however, they compromised in other areas. Pergamum was the capital city of the Pergamenian kinds until Rome took over in approximately 133 B.C.E. The city was a sophisticated city, a center of Greek culture and education with a library of over 200,000. However, it was also home of four cults centered around Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius, and Athene. The politics of the city was deeply entwined with the religious practices and the Christians there would have been heavily pressured to compromise which according to Revelation they did. One man, named Antipas, is mentioned as a faithful witness who was “put to death” in the city (verse 13). There is little information known about Antipas except that he refused to compromise. The specific sins listed were eating foods which were sacrificed to idols and sexual immortality (verse 13). The lesson for us here is not to tolerate sin by bowing to the pressure to be considered open-minded. Sin is still sin regardless if it is accepted by society. Pressure to compromise will be fierce; however, we need to stand firm and avoid practices which Christ opposes. We don’t have to avoid association with non-believers; however, we need to be careful to avoid any type of alliance, partnership or participation can lead to immoral practices.

Fourth, the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) is praised for their deeds, love, faith and service. Thyatira was a working man’s city with many trade guilds in pottery, cloth making, and dyes. The They continued to do more than they did when they first began (verse 19). However, they were reprimanded for their immorality. They tolerated Jezebel who called herself a prophetess and were misleading the church members to eat foods sacrificed to idols and sexual immortality (verse 20). The woman’s name may not have been really Jezebel. John may have used this name to invoke the story of Jezebel the pagan queen who was considered the most evil woman in history (her story can be found in 1 & 2 Kings). Whoever this woman was, she refused to repent (verse 21). Christ says that she will be casted on a bed of suffering along with her followers who refused to repent (verse 22-23). Christ says that he will search “hearts and minds” and will repay according to our deeds (verse 23). We cannot keep secrets from God. He knows our thoughts and hearts. He loves us and all we need to do is repent from all sins and we will forgive us.

Fifth, the church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) is praised for being effective and reprimanded for being superficial. Sardis was the capital of the Lydian empire and one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. This church had the reputation for being alive, but they were dead (verse 1). They are told to wake up and strengthen what is left before it dies (verse 3). Despite being so good on the outside, they were spiritually dead on the inside. They were urged to get back to the basics of Christian faith. We need to grow in our knowledge of God, to deepen our understanding through study; however, we are urged not to abandon the basic truths about Jesus. Not everyone in Sardis were spiritually dead, Jesus says that few are worthy, dressed in white and their names are written in the book of life (verse 4-5). To be dressed in white means to be set apart for God and made pure. The book of life records the names of all believers and symbolizes God’s knowledge of all who belong to him. The lesson from the church of Sardis is we must be spiritually alive inside as well as physical active in our faith.

Sixth, the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) is praised for being faithful and had no reprimands. The city of Philadelphia sat on the Cogamus River and was named in honor of the brother of the Pergamon king, Eumenes. The church is praised for having little strength and yet kept His word and had not denied His name (verse 8). They endured his command patiently (verse 10) and are told to hold on to what they have so that no one can take their crown from them (verse 11). Each Christian has different gifts, abilities, experience and maturity; however, despite these differences, we are each told to hold on to what we have and persevere and use our resources for him. The Philadelphian church was commended for doing just that and was encouraged to continue to hold on. We can remember their example and hold on to His word, to His promise and to our gifts in Him as we persevere through our trials especially when we feel physically, mentally and spiritually weak. When we feel as if we cannot go on, we can remember the faithfulness of the Philadelphian church who had little strength and yet persevered.

Lastly, the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) had no words of praise and only reprimands for being lukewarm. Being lukewarm is worse than being hot or cold. Jesus says he will spit them from his mouth (verse 16). In verse 17, Jesus describes them as claiming to be rich, acquired wealth and in need of nothing; however, they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” The city of Laodicea was the wealthiest of the seven cities known for its banking industry, wool manufacturing and a medical school. They also had a problem with water and by the time water came to the city from the aqueducts, it was distastefully lukewarm. Jesus is using this imagery to describe the church. The members wouldn’t stand up for anything and their indifference had led to idleness. Jesus is saying that there is no middle ground when it comes to faith and belief in him. You either do or you don’t. You are either fully devout Christian or a non-believer. There is no middle. Being lukewarm is the same as being a non-believer in Jesus’ eyes. He’s about to spit them out unless they repent and be the church for the community that they needed to be.

In conclusion, each church is an example of what do to right and what not to do as believers in Jesus. The church of Ephesus had forgotten their first love in Christ. The church of Pergamum had compromised their convictions. The church pf Thyatira were participating in immoral acts. The church of Sardis had become superficial Christians. The church of Laodicea were lukewarm Christians. For these churches, the course of action was to repent. For the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, they were praised for their faithfulness despite their suffering and were told to: do not fear, be faithful and hold on. We can read about these churches and learn from their examples. Remain faithful despite our sufferings, remember our first love in Jesus Christ and keep our zeal for Him and follow his commands. If we do these things, we can avoid the sins of the five churches and follow the example of the two churches.

Daniel and Hosea: a study in dreams, visions and warnings

This month’s study is on two books, Daniel and Hosea, and will be a bit longer than usual. Daniel was one of four men who were chosen to learn the language and literature of the Babylonians. He was even given a Babylonian name, Belteshazzar. Everyone knows the stories of the fiery furnace, the lion’s den and the writing on the wall. Few remember Daniel was also an interpreter of dreams and had dreams himself. These dreams foretold the future. Some were fulfilled quickly while others have yet be fulfilled. Hosea is a prophet in the northern kingdom. Hosea’s life is an illustration of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God and his desire for reconciliation. Hosea takes a wife who is unfaithful to him. Despite her unfaithfulness, Hosea remained married. His life became a living, prophetic example of Israel. Hosea also proclaims to Israel the changes against them and the coming punishments.

Daniel interpreted two dreams. First, in Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a large statute. The statue had a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze and legs and feet of iron and clay. And a stone destroys each part, leaving no trace. No one could tell him the meaning of the dream until Daniel sought God’s guidance for the meaning (verse 18). Daniel interpreted the dream, telling the king that he is the head of gold. After his kingdom’s time, another kingdom will rise, inferior to his. Each succeeding kingdom will be inferior to its predecessor. The last kingdom is a mixture of iron and clay, mixed but not united. In this last kingdom, God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Many scholars believe this alludes to Christ’s earthly kingdom. Many scholars believe that the silver represents the Medo-Persian Empire, the bronze the Grecian Empire, and iron and clay the Roman Empire. Although, some scholars now believe the iron and clay represents modern world powers and we now wait for the coming of Christ’s kingdom. Second, Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar, once again, has a dream. This time he dreams of a tree. A large and strong tree which gave food and shelter until a messenger, an angel, comes to cut down the tree. Before Daniel gave his interpretation, verse 19 says he was deeply perplexed and it terrified him. The tree is the king and God has issued against him. He will be driven away from the people, to live among the animals. Seven times will pass by until the king acknowledges the Most High is sovereign. One year later, the dream is fulfilled with Nebuchadnezzar took credit for his kingdom (Daniel 4:28-37).

Daniel has dreams and visions himself. First, the dream of the four beasts in Daniel 7:1-14. The first beast was a lion with wings of an eagle. Its wings were torn off and it stood like a man. The second beast, a bear with three ribs in its mouth. A voice told the bear to get its fill of flesh. The third beast is a leopard with four wings like a bird and four heads. It was given the authority to rule. The last beast is the most terrifying, frightening and powerful with large iron teeth and ten horns. It crushed and devoured its victims. God reveals the meaning of the vision to Daniel (Daniel 7:15-28). The four beasts represent four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. Many scholars believe this is an end times vision. Second, the vision of a ram and a goat (Daniel 8:1-14). In it, there was a ram with two horns and a goat with one horn. The goat attacked the ram and the ram was powerless to overcome the goat. The goat’s horn would break off and four more grew in its place. The angel, Gabriel, gives Daniel the interpretation of the dream at God’s command (Daniel 8:15-27). The ram represented the kings of Media and Persia. The goat was the king of Greece. The four horns represent the four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation. These kingdoms will be less powerful than the original kingdom. 

In chapters 4, 5 and 7, Hosea details the charges against Israel. They have no faithfulness, no love, or acknowledgement of God (Hosea 4:1). God is angry at the priests who relished in the people’s sins for they profited from it. Hosea 4:7-8 says “The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish in their wickedness.” The more the people sinned, the more they offered as atonement. The priests would live on the offerings as stated in the Law (Leviticus 7:28-36). However, what they could not eat, the priests would sell. They were making money from the people’s sins. So what motivation would the priests have to help the people leave behind their wicked ways? God places the blame on the priests and the kings for the people’s sins. In Hosea 5:1, Hosea writes “Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen, O royal house! This judgment is against you; You have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.” Mizpah and Tabor may have been prominent sites of worship to the god Baal. Leaders encouraged the people to worship and sin at these sites. With the kings and priests encouraging sins for their own benefit, how could the people of Israel stand a chance to obey God. God still held the people responsible for their sins; however, when the civil and religious leaders whom they looked to for guidance were disobeying God, why should they? God wants to save Israel but they do not call out to him, they do not repent (Hosea 7:13b-14).

The coming punishment for Israel’s unfaithfulness Hosea 9: 17 says “My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations.” Due to their disobedience and their failure to repent and turn back to God, Hosea 10:13 says that the Israelites “have planted wickedness,” they have “reaped evil” and “have eaten the fruit of deception” and depended upon their own strength and “many warriors.” They believed they were safe due to the military might of the northern kingdom. God promised them that with the roar of battle, their fortresses will be devastated (Hosea 10:14). They will live in tents once again like they did when they were brought out of Egypt (Hosea 12:9). However, God still loves this people. He still wants to see them turn from their wickedness. Hosea 14:9 states “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them? The ways of the Lord are right, the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” It is an appeal to listen, learn and benefit from God’s word. To those who receive the message from Hosea, it meant the difference between life and death. God judges the sin but shows mercy to the sinner when the sinner repents and turns back to God.

In conclusion, the dreams in Daniel were messages, warnings to things to come. Some events could not be stopped like the dream of the statute. It was a look into the future of the major world powers. Some dreams were a warning from pride like Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the tree. God used these dreams and visions to how his people that he is in control of heaven and of earth. He is the one directing the forces of nature, the destiny of the nations and the care of his people. In Hosea, God is the one who is forever faithful to an unfaithful people. In the book, God lists Israel’s sins against him and the terrible consequences if they did not repent and turn back to God. Despite Israel’s sins, God still loved the people. No matter what we do, God still loves us. There is still hope to turn away from sin and turn back to God. He waits for us with open arms, if only we are willing to walk into them. However, if we do not, we will suffer the consequences of our sins just as Israel did. 

Illustrations from Jeremian and Lamentations

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He cried for Israel who had turned away from God and for the punishment that was coming. He ministered for forty years. He delivered very pessimistic messages. A warning for the people to turn from sin and turn back to God. But the people hated the message, ignored Jeremiah’s warnings and punished him for it. He had death threats. He was attacked and persecuted. He saw his fellow prophets murdered and the people listening to false prophets proclaiming peace (Jeremiah 6:14b). No wonder he’s called the weeping prophet. There are many lessons and illustrations used in Jeremiah. I will discuss three of my favorites as well as a ray of hope among the severe messages.

First, God used the ruined linen belt to illustrate the uselessness of Israel. In Jeremiah 13:1-11, God asked Jeremiah to wear a linen belt and told him not to allow it to touch water. He then told Jeremiah to take the belt to a rock crevice and leave it. After many days, God told Jeremiah to retrieve the belt from the crevice and examine it. The belt had been ruined and completely useless from the elements. The Lord then says to Jeremiah, “In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follows the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt-completely useless” (verse 9-10). The illustration of the ruined linen belt shows that actions speak louder than words. Pride can make you useless to God because it can rot our hearts and leave no room for God’s work in us.

Second, the illustrations of the potter’s clay and the broken clay jar were used to demonstrate God’s power over Judah. In Jeremiah 18:1-17, God instructs Jeremiah to watch a potter as he molds the clay. When defects appeared on the clay, the potter had the power to fix the clay, mold it in order to repair the defect by reshaping the pot. “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as the potter does?” declares the Lord, “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (verse 6). The broken clay jar in Jeremiah 19:1-12 is the illustration that God has the power to destroy the nation which doesn’t turn from their sins and like broken jar, it cannot be repaired. It is a warning to repent before God brings judgment. These illustrations remind me of the hymn, The Potter’s Hands, as the lyrics urge God to mold me, to guide me, lead me, to use me as I give myself to God’s hands. As we are clay in his hands, he will continue to work with us, mold us until he has finished with us (Philippians 1:6).

Third, the baskets of figs illustrate two types of people those God will preserve and those he’ll destroy. In Jeremiah 24:1-10, God shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs, one basket contained good figs and the other very poor figs. The good figs represent the people God will preserve by sending them into exile, saving from them the destruction of the land. He also promises to restore to the land (verses 5-7). They would be saved because their hearts would respond to God, not because they were good, sinless or perfect.  They were sent into exile because they still needed to be punished for their sins; however, God saw that their hearts were able to return to him. The very poor figs represents the people who would be destroyed or flee when the nation was conquered (verses 8-10). These people were arrogant to believe they were safe and blessed if they remained in the land or fled to Egypt, they would be destroyed by “the sword, famine, and plague” (verse 10). The baskets of figs also illustrates the adage of “what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.” Trouble or hard times can be a blessing as it helps us remain close to God. However, prosperity is a curse as it can entices us away from God. We need to be mindful of the good times to remain close to God, to use our prosperity for his glory and our troubles draw closer to him.

Despite the doom and gloom in Jeremiah’s messages, there is hope. In Lamentations 3, the theme is hope amongst affliction. Jeremiah reminds himself and us that God, with his great faithfulness, renews us every morning with a new chance to repent and turn to him (verse 21-23). Every morning is a new chance from God to follow him. God is the God of second chances and third chances and so on. We run out of chances when there is no longer breath in our bodies. Verses 25-26 tells us that “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” I think is where the adage “good things comes to those who wait” originated. God’s timing is always perfect and even though our hearts may burn with desire for whatever we are wishing for, God will bring us this desire when the time is right. It may be days, weeks, months or even years, God’s timing is always perfect (Ecclesiastes 3:11). For every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).

In conclusion, for forty years, Jeremiah warned the people of Israel and Judah that if they did not repent and turn to God, judgment would be brought upon them. Many people mocked him, ignored him and even tried to kill him. Some were destroyed when the nation was conquered. However, some were saved. They were taken into exile, to be refined and eventually returned to their land. The lesson for us is to heed the warnings and repent. In time of trouble, we may be in exile, being refined and waiting to be returned to prosperity. As Jeremiah writes in Lamentations 3:40-42a, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven and say: ‘we have sinned and rebelled” Amen.