Articles
Why Jerusalem Fell VI
It has been the intent of these installments to emphasize the cause associated with the rise and fall of nations. The apostle Paul, saying, “The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring” (Acts 17:24-28), through which mankind can understand, as did Nebuchadnezzar come to understand, that “the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will” (Dan. 5:21).
In this vein God, has also indicated why the nations of antiquity met their demise, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am Jehovah your God. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their statutes. Mine ordinances shall ye do, and my statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am Jehovah your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah” (Leviticus 18:1-5). Jehovah then proceeds to warn the children of Israel against incest, adultery, idolatry, homosexuality, and bestiality. Jehovah sums up the abominations, and the results ensuing therefrom, with these words: “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out from before you; and the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye therefore shall keep my statutes and mine ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the home-born, nor the stranger that sojourneth among you; (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled); that the land vomit not you out also, when ye defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. For whosoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep my charge, that ye practice not any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am Jehovah your God” (Vs. 24-30).
The previous inhabitants of Canaan, the Israelites to whom God set up over the land, and many other nations, have historically been vomited out due to there refusal to obey the voice of Jehovah, as he spoke through the prophets and apostles.
- Why_Jerusalem_Fell_Part_VI.pdf (36.49 kB)
