They Will Know the Difference

Read 2 Chronicles 11-13
 
2 Chronicles 12:7-8 When the Lord saw their change of heart, he gave this message to Shemaiah: “Since the people have humbled themselves, I will not completely destroy them and will soon give them some relief. I will not use Shishak to pour out my anger on Jerusalem. 8 But they will become his subjects, so they will know the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers.”
 
ONE truth of God’s salvation plan may surprise you. Even when we repent of sin, God will sometimes continue his judgment in some form to remind us of the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers – or serving sin. We saw this in David’s life. Yes, he repented and prayed for a new, clean heart after his sin with Bathsheba. Still, the LORD’s judgment continued into David’s family and through Absalom’s rebellion. It wasn’t until David died that he was completely free of his sin.
   God sent Egypt to destroy Judah as a judgment on their sin. God uses pagan nations to be  his judgment tool. This happened repeatedly throughout the Bible’s history, and it could be occurring now. But the people humbled themselves to repent. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies then held back his full judgment, but Egypt would rule Judah for a time. None in Judah at that moment had known sin’s high cost. They had not yet personally witnessed how dramatically God would reshape their lives in judgment. As a teaching Father, El Shaddai would give Judah some time to experience the difference between pagan rule and his rule.
   This is a powerful and urgent message for us in the church. Solomon’s sins opened a dark door in Judah’s heart. The Jews became complacent to neglect the first three commandments. They followed their leader into judgment.
   God needs and calls you to be passionate for him. Satan sole purpose is to destroy God’s people. So be awake! Be firmly and completely committed to love God and to stand on his commands. Evil’s forces are all around. But you know the Holy Spirit is within. Use his authority to overcome. Know the difference between the devil’s rule and God’s rule is eternal.