The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 August 2019 – Flee From Destruction

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TOPIC: Flee From Destruction

READ: Jeremiah 6: 1-9 King James Version (KJV)

1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.

8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.

THE MESSAGE:

The anger of the Lord is directed at the disobedient and stubborn people who persist in evil. Evil here is exemplified by forsaking the Lord and His Ways, with all the attendant manifestations. Though the Lord is merciful, He punishes the disobedient, if they refuse to repent (2 Peter 2:4). Punishment for evil does not only apply to evildoers but also to those who support them in any way or those who dwell around them (Romans 1:32).

The instruction to the children of Benjamin to flee from Jerusalem was because of the impending destruction coming from the Lord on account of the evil deeds of the people.

Lot was delivered from the impending destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah but not without the loss of his wife (Genesis 19:14, 16, 26). The call to flee from evil is in every way, very relevant in our time when evil/disobedience is on the rise. It is for the safety and preservation of our faith that we are advised to flee from evil so that we do not get punished together with the disobedient.

We therefore need to cry out against disobedience and warn evildoers, making sure we do not encourage their evil deeds.

Prayer: Merciful Father, it is by Your mercies we are not destroyed alongside the wicked. Keep us safe in Your grace as we remain obedient to You; having no part in them that persistently do evil. Amen.