When we are young our world is small. As we grow older we realize that there is a big wide world out there as seen in the National Geographic magazine, the History Channel, or just from hearing stories from the old timers when they were oversees during the war. As we age, we realize that the world is big place and we are just a tiny piece of it.
The last few chapters of 2 Chronicles go through some kings of Judah who were not really following after the Lord. King Josiah was the last king of Judah to follow the Lord and he was blessed. The fall of Jerusalem comes during the reign of King Zedekiah. Chapter 36:16 says, “But they mocked God’s messengers despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.” Judah ends up being exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar and the remnant would spend the next 70 years there.
One thing sticks out in the last few chapters that might surprise you. In chapter 35:21, Necho king of Egypt is talking through a messenger to King Josiah and says, “God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me or he will destroy you.” He was speaking to Josiah to not oppose him on his way to fight against another nation while he was passing through Judah. Josiah would not obey and would die during the battle between him and Necho, ending his reign. Also, in chapter 36:23 Cyrus the king of Persia says “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth…may the Lord their God be with them.”
Here are a couple of references in the Bible that give us a clue about how widespread the worship of the Israelite God was. Reading the account of all the kings of Israel and Judah, one might get a myopic viewpoint and start thinking the Lord God of the Israelites was only recognized in Israel. However, the Lord made his mark on many kingdoms of the ancient world.
How does this relate to you and me you might be asking? You might be thinking that God is only found in the church on Sunday through a priest or pastor. But you would be wrong. Jesus says in Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” “These” are you and me. To think you can only find God in church is like thinking that you only find food at HEB. God is everywhere and it takes a spirit-filled Christian to see this.
Today, look around you. Ask God to reveal to you the wonders of his creation and to help you notice how God at work all around us. You are the best example of a Christian that somebody knows and that somebody is most often not in church. God has a plan for you and most of the time it involves us engaging outside of the church. Church is simply a place where believers meet, but God is everywhere.
Let It Go 
Leave a comment