All this happened because Jehoram had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors. [2 Chronicles 21.10b]
What happened?
Edom revolted against Judah where Jehoram was king. Libnah revolted against Judah. But it gets worse...
Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: “This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah. Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel. And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you. So now the LORD is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow. You yourself will suffer with a severe intestinal disease that will get worse each day until your bowels come out.” [2 Chronicles 21.12-15]
Hmm, political unrest and disease... That is strangely familiar RIGHT NOW!
There once was a time when people understood that political unrest and disease were curses from God for disobedience Today however, God has nothing to do with political unrest and disease, right? WRONG!
Deuteronomy 28 clearly explains that all kinds of turmoil (political unrest would be included) and diseases are the direct and certain results of disobedience to God. This was true when Deuteronomy 28 was written and it is true TODAY!
"Disobedience" means to fail or refuse to do what God says to do.
"Obedience" means to do what God says to do.
Interestingly enough, nothing about "disobedience" has changed from OT times all the way until now.
However, there has been some adjustment, according to the Bible, in what "obedience" looks like from OT times until now.
In OT times, obedience looked like repentance followed by rituals and animal sacrifices. Today, obedience looks like repentance followed by faith in Jesus Christ.
But, you know what? Disobedience still looks just like it did from the beginning. Sin has not changed one bit. The curses upon sin have not changed one bit. Political unrest and disease are still the result of sin!
The opposite of disobedience is obedience, right? So if our current political unrest and disease are the result of sin (and they are), then our obedience should begin with repentance followed by faith in Christ!
You see, obedience means to do what God says to do. Before Jesus, obedience meant to repent and offer sacrifices. But now, obedience means repent and live the life of Jesus on earth today (the animal sacrifices and rituals were removed and replaced with faith in Christ). The need to repent however has never changed.
When curses are present, the two-part remedy of obedience (repentance and faith in Jesus) is the only solution.
Many today are proclaiming the need for faith in Christ. And, faith in Christ is absolutely necessary. However, faith in Christ is null and void unless it is entered through the gateway of REPENTANCE!
Jesus' first words of public ministry:
From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” [Matthew 4.17]
Father, the circumstances are obvious: political unrest and disease have been unleashed on the USA and abroad. We have sinned. Father, forgive us for our wholesale neglect of You and Your ways. Forgive us for the mass-murders of innocent babies. Forgive us for gross sexual perversion and immorality. Forgive us particularly for trusting in ourselves, our education and knowledge, our sciences, our politics, and, in some cases even our religion instead of trusting only in You. Forgive us for this blatant pride and arrogance and self-sufficiency. Forgive us God, we have turned our backs on You.
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