Read: 2 Kings 25:1-21
Because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah. —2 Kings 24:20
Bible In One Year: 2 Samuel 19-20; Luke 18:1-23
There have been some horrendous defeats in sports history, but none more convincing than Cumberland's 222-0 loss to Georgia Tech in 1916. It was the worst college football defeat ever, and the young men of Cumberland must have been devastated.
Another kind of loss happened to the people of Jerusalem in 586 bc, and it was much worse than any sports defeat. Because of God's punishment for their sin of worshiping other gods, they were defeated by the Babylonian army (2 Kings 24:20).
Led by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians laid siege to the Holy City and left it in ruins. They burned the majestic temple, the palace of the king, and the people's homes.
It was perhaps the worst defeat in the long, often tragic history of God's people. Their continued disobedience to Him had devastating consequences. Through it all, He urged them to repent and turn back to Him.
It's sobering to me to see how much the Lord longs for His people to live in a way that glorifies Him. I need to remind myself often of my duty to live as God wants me to live because of how much it means to Him.
Judah's worst loss can challenge us all to live in obedience to God. —Dave Branon