Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 48
“Woe to Nebo!” So begins Jeremiah’s prophecy of doom against Moab, the first of three successive pronouncements against the nation. Moab’s destruction will be complete. Two of the three identifications of Moab are directly related to the fact that Moab resided in the mountains. It was in this high elevation that she took her pride. Jeremiah speaks to this pride in verse 11, wherein he notes that Moab has never been unsettled from his place. Jeremiah compares Moab to an undisturbed wine, which settles and begins to age without disruption. Such beverages cannot age properly if shaken or moved from one container to another. This is why the bottles are corked and sealed, then placed on their side in a cellar for lengthy periods of time until they are ready to be used. Jeremiah says in verse that the Lord will send those who will tip them over, pour them out and destroy the bottles. The implication is that the Babylonians, who do not belong in Moab, will come and displace Moab from her resting place. Moab would be destroyed “because he exalts himself against the Lord” (v 42). However, a remnant of the captives will later be returned (v 47). Three times, Moab is identified with their god Chemosh (v 7, 13, 46).
New Testament reading: Luke 20-21
“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25). Americans live under a system of government that is increasingly antagonistic toward Bible believers. Our tax dollars are increasingly used to defend and promote activity that the God of heaven calls an abomination (e.g., abortion, homosexuality and other sexual deviancy). Moreover, even now our tax dollars are expressly used against us to punish us for our views. A Christian might think himself justified in failing to pay his taxes when that money is used to promote ungodliness and oppress the righteous. But that Christian would be wrong. Jesus did not tell us to pay our taxes so long as we agree with the way the money is spent. The Roman government of Jesus’ day was one of the most ungodly, corrupt organizations on earth, yet Jesus did not give His disciples an exception to paying their taxes. Our faithfulness is seen when we do what is right in God’s eyes and not our own (cf Prov 14:12).
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