Chapter 14/15- My Bible titled it: Drought, Famine, Sword. I really try to read the Bible in a historical context, not the present day. I think every generation can read chapter 14 and see the sins of the nation and the effects on a country and we are no different.
I wish we could hit rewind and go back to the book of Judges. The people were sinners and the times were just like they are in Judah BUT the difference was prayers were heard and the people were saved. 
There comes a time when God says “I love you so much I cannot keep saving you if you don’t learn a lesson from it”. That is where we are in the Bible. He tells Jeremiah, you can pray all you want…but I cannot relent any longer.
All that to say, maybe, just maybe in God’s eyes we are still in the time of “Judges”. So pray, speak Truth to people, love your enemy, raise your children up in the Word…because He might revive this country once again. Have Hope. Don’t watch from the outside, be an instrument for the Lord to use:
19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“If you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall to this people,
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to rescue and save you,”
declares the Lord.
21 “I will save you from the hands of the wicked
and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”
Enough of my sadness over the state of the Nation.
In two more days, we will read about the Captivity. It will happen in 3 waves: The years will be
- 605 BC
- 597 BC
- Final: 586 BC
Chapter 16- Verse 10 needs to be highlighted in your Bible-it sums up: Why will Judah go through this experience? Click here to go back and read it.
BUT for me and you, followers of Christ- we hold onto Hope and a restoration. I know many of you reading this year are going through BIG things in your life. You may even be tempted to put your trials in the comments and ask for prayer. Please do. I have done read-throughs before where people “debate” each other in the comments section. YOU are all so different. You are quiet and I truly think it is because you are reading this with a personal relationship, learning about God’s love in a way you never have before. So if that is you: read this:
Chapter 17:
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Read chapter 17 and feel the Peace of the compare and contrast of the unbeliever verse the believer.
Sorry, I know my posts have gone astray…I will go back to studying historical and get back in track tomorrow.
I love you- Patricia Szymanski
Reading the Bible - 2021 