AS YET!

AS YET!

2 Kings 13:22-23

22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 And the Lord  was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

          My Momma had a unique way of warning me to stop my wrongful behavior. She would raise one eyebrow (a talent I inherited) and squint with the other eye while saying firmly: “Keep it up buddy.” This is, of course, not meant to be liberty to actually continue the behavior. It meant that if I didn’t stop quickly judgment would surely fall.

          In our Scripture, this morning, there seems to be a thinly veiled warning. Things were not good but, because God had made a covenant with the patriarchs, He would not destroy them – as yet! In other words God had raised one eyebrow, squinted with the other eye menacingly, and warned “keep it up buddy!”

          Warren Wiersbe explains that “when the people sinned so flagrantly that they blasphemed the name of the Lord and defiled His land that God permitted both Israel and Judah to be defeated and taken into bondage. In 722, Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, and in 586, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.” America has crossed a line! They have kept it up! Now we can expect judgment, perhaps even from Syria!

Isa 5:4-5

4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Dear Lord, in wrath remember mercy. Revive us again. AMEN