PLACE YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD!
PLACE YOUR HOPE IN THE LORD!
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. —Ezekiel 13:13
He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love. —Job 37:13
And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD. If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast, though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off from it man and beast, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness. —Ezekiel 14:12
The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. —Psalm 33:17
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it…” Then our Lord works through various avenues to bring about His judgment by His hand. He uses—
- Storms
- The lack of food
- Famine
- Animals
- War
And “even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.” So it is with us. Let us live right lives before God and trust Him for deliverance. We cannot depend on an army to deliver us from these things. No, we depend on our Lord and His steadfast love even in the midst of famine or any other situation. We wait on the Lord in any circumstances we find ourselves in and trust Him for our lives. It is He who “is our help and shield” and “our heart is glad in him.” Our hope is in Him alone! So, let us look to Him at all times and in every state we find ourselves in. Yes, Dear Father, may this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Dear Son Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQmsEE_2-s