[Biblemat] S) ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD (2)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the second part
of this particular study.  Use to the glory of God.

ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD  (2)

God And Babylon: -- Babylon of the Chaldees was the city
and nation used of Jehovah to overthrow the Assyrians.  Und-er the rule of 
Nabopolasser (626-604), the Chaldeans over-
threw the rule of Assyria, and destroyed Nineveh in 607 or
606.  This monarch was followed by his illustrious son, Nebuc-
hadnezzar (604-562).  Some time before 600, Habakkuk came
to Jehovah with the question of wickedness and iniquity in 
Judah, declaring that "destruction and violence are before me
and there is strife, and contention riseth up.  Therefore the 
law is slacked, and justice doth compass about the righteous;
therefore justice goeth forth perverted" (Hab. 1:3,4).  To this
God made reply by pointing to the rising Chaldean nation as the instrument in 
His hand by which He would punish the 
wickedness of Judah.  "Behold ye among the nations, and
look, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye 
will not believe though it be told you.  For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, 
that bitter and hasty nation,
that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwel-
ling places that are not theirs" (Hab. 1:5,6).  It was Jehovah
working the work; it was Jehovah raising up the Chaldeans to
do the work.  This would raise the question again, If God rais-
es up and uses a nation for such a work is that nation guilty
of what it has done?  At this point God leaves no doubt: "Then shall he sweep 
by as a wind, and shall pass over, and 
be guilty, even he whose might is his god" (vs. 11).

     This reply of Jehovah left the prophet more perplexed than before.  
Would Jehovah, the God of righteousness, use
a man and nation like the Babylonian king and his people for
a work upon Judah? (vss. 12-17).  Then God makes clear what shall be the 
ultimate end of such a character as the Chal-
dean king.  This is declared in chapter two, where God pro-
nounces five woes upon such a one:

     "Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his!...
Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant
of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men's blood,
and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all 
that dwell therein" (2:6,8).  "Woe to him that getteth an evil
gain for his house, that he may be delivered from the hand of
evil!" (vs. 9).  "Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, 
and establisheth a city by iniquity!"  Such labor only for the
fire of destruction (vs. 12).  "Woe to him that giveth his neigh-
bor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him
drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"  (vs. 15); as he had 
meted to others so shall it be meted to him
(vss. 16,17).  Then finally, Woe unto the idolater, the one who
trusts in the teacher of lies!  (vss. 18,19).

     The Chaldean was the special object of these woes, yet as
God pronounces them to the prophet, He speaks generally of
a character -- any character -- who may follow such a course
of action.  In this chapter God is laying down principles; the 
woes declare the end of all such as follow a like pattern.  The
end of such men is determined by Jehovah:  "But Jehovah is
in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him"
(vs. 20).

     The Chaldeans came, and in 587 and 586 Judah was carri-
ed away into Babylonian captivity.  Among those carried away
was a lad of the royal seed, named Daniel.  The story of his
life and rise to prominence at the court of Nebuchadnezzar is
familiar to all, but one of the special lessons of the book is
often overlooked.  While encouraging the children of the cap-
tivity, assuring them that God would so overrule as to estab-lish His kingdom 
at the appointed time, he also taught the 
heathen king that He -- Jehovah -- rules in the kingdoms of
men.

     When Nebuchadnezzar had his dream, which none of his
soothsayers or magicians could interpret or declare, God re-
vealed it to Daniel.  Upon receiving the revelation in a vision
of the night, Daniel praised God, saying, "And he changeth
the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth
up kings" (Dan. 2:21).  Later, in interpreting another dream
for the king, Daniel declared to him, "The sentence is by the
decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the
holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth 
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over 
it the lowest of men"
(Dan. 4:17).  The dream was fulfilled; Nebuchadnezzar was 
driven from the presence of men and ate grass as the oxen
till the "seven times" had passed over him.  Years later, when
Nabonidas was king, and his son, Belshazzar was ruling in
Babylon in the absence of his father, Daniel was called upon
to interpret the writing on the wall.  In interpreting the writing,
Daniel related the matter of Nebuchadnezzar's greatness and
pride, and of his having been driven from the presence of men and eating 
grass as the oxen, with the conclusion, "until
he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he 
setteth up over it whomsoever he will" (5:21).  This is one of the important 
points of the book.  The
question becomes, Does God rule in the kingdoms of men
today and set up rulers as He did then?

     When the time came for Babylon to be overthrown, having
served Jehovah's purpose, God said, "Make sharp the arrows
hold firm the shields: Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of the
kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon,
to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengean-
ce of his temple" (Jer. 51:11).  Of Cyrus, whom God raised to
do this work, He had said by Isaiah, nearly two hundred years
earlier, "Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose
right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I
will loose the loins of Kings and the gates shall not be shut...
I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me" (Isa. 45:1,5).
The foretelling of this so long before was to the end that when fulfilled, 
men might know that it had been spoken by
Jehovah, and that  besides him there is no God.  (More will be
posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, JWS).   </HTML>
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