God is a Consuming Fire - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 25:6-7,

"He [King Zedekiah] was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him. They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon."

When the Babylonians destroyed Judah, it was the culmination of the Lord's judgment for their spurning him. The Lord had given Judah fair warning that if they did not turn their hearts back to him, they would face his judgment... and face it they did.

Zedekiah was one of the dozen bad kings Judah had and the last that would rule over the southern part of divided Israel. The last thing this last king of Judah saw was his own sons being put to death, and then they put out his eyes. What a memory to carry to his death: his last vision was the slaughter of his sons.

The Lord's judgment against those who reject him is literally horrific and frightening. It is not what the devil and his demonic minions can do that should bring us our greatest fears. It is what the Lord can and will do to all those who fail to place their faith and trust in him in this life.

"... worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" Hebrews 12:28-29.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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