Are your ways really good? Are you sure about it?
• Pro 16:25 -> “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”.
Many people, when their relatives die, opt for cremating the body. I always wonder why these people opt for this, considering that this procedure is very expensive. Nonetheless, take a look at this:
• Amo 2:1-3 -> “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: but I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: and I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
Moab was punished only because they burned king of Edom’s bones into lime. I see this as an affront to the Creator who determined:
• Gen 3:19 -> “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; *for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return*.”.
In the case of the Moabites, I know the reason: anger. They were so angry at the king of Edom that they desire to exterminate him outright, so that nothing remain that could bring him into memory.
And we need to be careful about this. See the warning of the Creator to Babylon and the Israelites:
• Isa 47:6 -> “I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.”.
• 2Ch 28:9 -> “But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.”
Many times, the Creator allows someone to be punished in order to humble them so that they can repent, convert and be a blessing in His hand.
See the case of Paul. Before his conversion, if we lived at that time and we had opportunity, certainly our wish would be to do something like the Moabites did with the king of Edom. See what passed in the mind of Ananias:
• Act 9:13,14 -> “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.”.
And what was the answer of the Creator?
• Act 9:15 -> “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:”.
So, have a spiritual day follow Jesus’ direction, even though, many times, someone deserve to be penalized, or when something looks to be correct in your eyes.
• Pro 16:25 -> “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”.
Many people, when their relatives die, opt for cremating the body. I always wonder why these people opt for this, considering that this procedure is very expensive. Nonetheless, take a look at this:
• Amo 2:1-3 -> “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: but I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: and I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
Moab was punished only because they burned king of Edom’s bones into lime. I see this as an affront to the Creator who determined:
• Gen 3:19 -> “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; *for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return*.”.
In the case of the Moabites, I know the reason: anger. They were so angry at the king of Edom that they desire to exterminate him outright, so that nothing remain that could bring him into memory.
And we need to be careful about this. See the warning of the Creator to Babylon and the Israelites:
• Isa 47:6 -> “I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.”.
• 2Ch 28:9 -> “But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.”
Many times, the Creator allows someone to be punished in order to humble them so that they can repent, convert and be a blessing in His hand.
See the case of Paul. Before his conversion, if we lived at that time and we had opportunity, certainly our wish would be to do something like the Moabites did with the king of Edom. See what passed in the mind of Ananias:
• Act 9:13,14 -> “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.”.
And what was the answer of the Creator?
• Act 9:15 -> “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:”.
So, have a spiritual day follow Jesus’ direction, even though, many times, someone deserve to be penalized, or when something looks to be correct in your eyes.