And So It Happened-Just As God Said

By Mary Vee
Daniel I, II Kings 24, II Chronicles 36

From Jeremiah's Journal

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My name is Jeremiah. I have been a prophet, chosen by God to bring His message to the people. I have spoke for Him for twenty-three years. I have warned the Israelites of the punishment coming. And, although there have been some changes, mostly by King Josiah, it wasn't enough. 

God sent many prophets to warn them, and had they fully changed their ways He would not have sent this punishment. But they would not listen.

The people continued to worship their idols and not change from their evil ways. Pharaoh Neco went out to fight Nebuchadnezzar from Bablylon. He was foolish. Babylon had a stronger army. 

Now Egypt lays in ruins. While Babylon plowed through our land to conquer Egypt, they of course conquered us, too. This was all in God's plans to punish Israel for not obeying His commands.

Babylon took Jehoiakim, King Josiah's son and put him in bronze shackles. He must have begged for their mercy and promised to do what they said because he was brought back to Judah and put back on the throne.

Babylon's army also went into the temple and stole precious items of great worth and put them in the temple of their idol. Jehoiakim couldn't ask Egypt to help because they had been utterly destroyed.

I have tried to work with King Jehoiakim but he is too busy doing what he is told by Babylon. The man simply will not honor the God of heaven. And so God said, 

"Because you have not listened to my words, I will call all the people of the north led by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and they will attack this land. For seventy years you will serve Babylon."

I stood by and watched Babylon take some of the Israelites from the royal family and nobility. Young men without any physical defect, handsome, very intelligent in every kind of learning, and quick to understand. These boys were to serve in the palace of the king of Babylon.

And so it happened--just as God said. This is a sad day for Israel.

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1. What message would the people not listen to and obey?
2. Who gave the message?
3. What happened to Egypt?
4. What country couldn't help Israel?
5. What happened to King Jehoiakim (King Josiah's son)?
6. What did the Babylon army take?
7. Describe the first group of people to be taken as slaves to Babylon.

Habakkuk's Praise After Hearing God's Answer

By Mary Vee
Habakkuk 3

From Habakkuk's Journal

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My name is Habakkuk and I am a prophet of the living God of Israel.

Last week, I asked God the question we all want to ask: Why? God answered me. And now that I've heard the answer from the Almighty One who has made us and heaven and earth, how can I keep from praising Him?

Please join me in this praise:

God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you,
    and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees.
Do among us what you did among them.
    Work among us as you worked among them.
And as you bring judgment, as you surely must,
    remember mercy.

3-7 God’s on his way again,
    retracing the old salvation route,
Coming up from the south through Teman,
    the Holy One from Mount Paran.
Skies are blazing with his splendor,
    his praises sounding through the earth,
His cloud-brightness like dawn, exploding, spreading,
    forked-lightning shooting from his hand—
    what power hidden in that fist!
Plague marches before him,
    pestilence at his heels!
He stops. He shakes Earth.
    He looks around. Nations tremble.
The age-old mountains fall to pieces;
    ancient hills collapse like a spent balloon.
The paths God takes are older
    than the oldest mountains and hills.
I saw everyone worried, in a panic:
    Old wilderness adversaries,
Cushan and Midian, were terrified,
    hoping he wouldn’t notice them.

8-16 God, is it River you’re mad at?
    Angry at old River?
Were you raging at Sea when you rode
    horse and chariot through to salvation?
You unfurled your bow
    and let loose a volley of arrows.
    You split Earth with rivers.
Mountains saw what was coming.
    They twisted in pain.
Flood Waters poured in.
    Ocean roared and reared huge waves.
Sun and Moon stopped in their tracks.
    Your flashing arrows stopped them,
    your lightning-strike spears impaled them.
Angry, you stomped through Earth.
    Furious, you crushed the godless nations.
You were out to save your people,
    to save your specially chosen people.
You beat the stuffing
    out of King Wicked,
Stripped him naked
    from head to toe,
Set his severed head on his own spear
    and blew away his army.
Scattered they were to the four winds—
    and ended up food for the sharks!
You galloped through the Sea on your horses,
    racing on the crest of the waves.
When I heard it, my stomach did flips.
    I stammered and stuttered.
My bones turned to water.
    I staggered and stumbled.
I sit back and wait for Doomsday
    to descend on our attackers.

17-19 Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
    and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
    and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
    and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
    I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,
    I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
    I feel like I’m king of the mountain!

(from The Message)

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1.Why did Habakkuk praise God?

Habakkuk Asks God the Question We All Want To Know

By Mary Vee
Habakkuk

From Habakkuk's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Habakkuk and I am a prophet of the living God of Israel.

My heart broke when I heard the news..

I knew the people of Israel would be punished. God said so. What He says, comes true.

I had questions that burned in my heart. 

*I wanted to know why God would use the evil nation of Babylon to bring the punishment against His own people.

*Why do the wicked get rich, usually by taking from others.

*Why does evil exist at all?

Maybe I shouldn't ask. I should just know that whatever God chooses to do is right. And, I do believe this to be true. 

Still in my heart, I really wanted to know. I didn't understand.

I don't want to disrespect. Is it wrong to ask God questions if we do it to learn, and understand more about Him?

Maybe this question burns in my heart because God wants me to ask. Surely the God who created us and loves us wants us to ask our questions, respectfully, of course.

So I went to God, and asked my questions. 

And do you know what?

He answered me. 

God said evil, no matter where it is found, always has the seeds of its own distraction, like a plant has seeds to make more of the same kind of plant. He said the nation of Judah's sins have brought on the punishment they would receive. He also said, it didn't matter who delivered his punishment, only that it would happen. The one delivering the punishment may be good or evil.

It the nation delivering the punishment is evil, God said, they, too, will face their own destruction.

Only the good, the truly righteous have life. 

Sin always brings death.

The answers made sense to me. I hope they make sense to you, too.

Remember: God wants you to ask questions (they must be done with respect, though)
Also, remember, God is fair. Whoever sins will be punished.

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1. Habakkuk was a ______________
2. What broke Habakkuk's heart?
3. What questions did Habakkuk have?
4. Are we allowed to ask God questions?
5. If yes, how? If no, why not?
6. What did God say to Habakkuk?
7. What did Habakkuk think about God's message?