2 Kings 24-25; Proverbs 11:12-21

Wednesday's Bible Reading: 2 Kings 24-25; Proverbs 11:12-21

The twenty-second day of summer. In Israel, Tammuz 16, 5766.

Tisha B'Av | The Three Weeks

As I frequently say, All Scripture is related, and all Scripture is relevant. Today's Bible reading is one of the more obvious examples.

For religious Jews, today is the beginning of three weeks of mourning for the fall of Jerusalem and the loss of the holy Temple, and today in 2 Kings 25 we read the account of that sad event.

Historically, this time of the year has been marked by tragedy for the Jewish people. According to Jewish sources, five great catastrophes occurred in Jewish history on the 17th of Tammuz:

Moses broke the tablets at Mount Sinai—in response to the sin of the Golden Calf.

The daily offerings in the First Temple were suspended during the siege of Jerusalem, after the Kohanim could no longer obtain animals.

Jerusalem's walls were breached, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.

Prior to the Great Revolt, the Roman general Apostamos burned a Torah scroll—setting a precedent for the horrifying burning of Jewish books throughout the centuries.

An idolatrous image was placed in the Sanctuary of the Holy Temple—a brazen act of blasphemy and desecration. (Rabbi Shraga Simmons, Aish.com)

From the look of today's headlines, this year may follow the same pattern.

However, as the holiday reminds us, God is eager to turn tragedy into triumph, and he promised to do so. Unlike the Israelites in the days of Zedekiah and Nebuchadnezzar, we have these words from the Lord spoken through the prophet Zechariah:

14 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Just as I had determined to bring disaster upon you and showed no pity when your fathers angered me," says the LORD Almighty, 15 "so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. 16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the LORD.

18 Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. 19 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace." (Zechariah 8: 14-19)

God asks so little of us . . . "Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do no plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely" (8:16-17). For that is what the Lord hates. We are simply to love truth and peace (8:19). Why is that so difficult?!

More on Tisha B'Av

I recommend reading all of Zechariah 8, or more if you can squeeze out the time.

o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o º o

And now, from the sublime to, uh, other thoughts . . .

Every day should begin in the bathtub, preferably a bathtub with a window overlooking the woods. This morning when I had my devotions (in the bathtub), rain was still falling gently. The trees were absolutely still. The only thing making the leaves move were raindrops. The rain was like a symphony. First the sound came from one direction, then another. Slow, then fast. Gentle, then intense. All the leaves were showing their true colors after being bathed in an all-night shower. The accumulated dust of recent days had been put back in its place by heaven's baptismal font. And all the birds sang sweetly in gratitude to God for doing their housework.