FWD: Morning Manna (Oct. 23); BP: Jer. 49; RBTTY: I Tim. 3; Jeremiah 1-2

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:09:13 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Oct. 23); BP: Jer. 49; RBTTY: I Tim. 3; Jeremiah 1-2
 

October 23                                                                                                                                                                  “On Pulling Down Strongholds”

 

“Concerning the Ammonites, thus says the Lord:  ‘Has Israel no sons?  Has he no heir?  Why, then, does their king inherit Gad and his people dwell in his cities?  Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites—and it shall be a desolate heap and her daughters shall be burned with fire.  Then, shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, says the Lord’.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Jeremiah 49:1-2

     No one wants us free more than He does.

     What “strongholds” are there in your life right now, Pilgrim, that continually seem to hold you captive?  The world may call them “addictions,” but God’s Word calls them “strongholds” (II Cor. 10:3-5).  And, today’s Manna is a reminder to us that the same One Who longed for Israel’s deliverance in days gone by (and even today) is the same One Who lives within our heart after the new birth.

 

     The Ammonites were a nomadic tribe descended from Ammon, the younger of two sons sired by Lot while he was drunk in a frantic, incestuous relationship with his daughters (Gen. 19:30-38).  They became fierce enemies of Israel during their later history and the Lord told the Hebrews not to associate with them after their deliverance from Egypt via the Exodus (Dt. 23:3).

 

     There was a time prior to today’s Manna when the Ammonites opposed King Jehoshaphat; yet, God put them in confusion and they ended up killing themselves (II Chron. 20:1-23).  And, the Old Testament prophets continually pronounced judgment against them at various times during Israel’s history (Jer. 9:26; Amos 1:13-15).

 

     Such was definitely the case in our Manna—for they’d allied themselves with the Moabites, who also descended from the other son of Lot after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:30-38).  Let us never forget that sinful, spiritual strongholds have many close “relatives” that enjoy each other’s company (e.g., smoking, drinking, drug abuse, etc.).  And, let us also never forget the Lord God desires for us to be free from them all!

 

     So, it’s clear that Judah, even though she was suffering for her own sins, would also one day be free of those who capitalized upon her weakness and captivity.  The Ammonites took advantage of her vulnerability after being overthrown by the king of Assyria (II Kings 15:29; I Chron. 5:26) and took over land and resources over which she had no claim.  In fact, these barbaric people even murdered Jewish pregnant women, ripping their unborn children from their wombs (Amos 1:13; Zeph. 2:8).

 

     Let us never forget the same God Who chastens His own (Heb. 12:5-12) is the same One Who also takes note of those who abuse the ones He loves.  Therefore, let us surrender to His Lordship more fully today by “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against a knowledge of Him by bringing every thought into obedience to Him” (II Cor. 10:5).  And, remember:  He is the Lord of “total liberation” (Jn. 8:36) and wants us to be free of anything that enslaves us.  Hallelujah!!