Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
God Restores
"For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches." - Nahum 2:2
Nahum 2:2 is a powerful testimony of God's restoration. Commentary writers help us understand that this verse is part of a prophetic message against Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian empire. Nineveh was notorious for its cruelty and idolatry. The commentators point out that in this verse, the prophet Nahum declares that God will restore the glory of Israel, which the Assyrians had destroyed.
The verse promises hope amid the destruction. It follows a period of suffering and oppression by the Assyrians. The prophecy, as declared by the prophet Nahum, was fulfilled in 612 B.C. when the Assyrian empire fell.
The lesson here is of God's promise to restore, no matter how devastating the circumstances may seem. Additionally, we are reminded of the fallen world we inhabit today due to what transpired in the Garden with Adam and Eve. The enemy, Satan, deceived them, leading to their exile from the Garden. The consequences of that fall remain: we live in a broken and fallen world. As we read of the fall of Israel to Nineveh (much like Adam and Eve's fall from grace with God), we can be grateful because God immediately established a plan to restore them. This restoration would occur through the work of Jesus on the cross. It is a process of restoration that is still ongoing to this day.
Perhaps you have not experienced hurricanes, fires, floods, tornadoes, or blizzards, during which you lost everything and needed restoration of personal goods. Friends, amidst all the devastation we are witnessing today, let me remind you that you were born into a fallen and sinful world. To find true restoration, we must repent of our sins and commit to following Jesus so that the Holy Spirit's work can restore and transform our lives.
If we grasp this truth and rest in God's promise, we will understand the urgency of spiritual transformation and renewal in our lives and the lives of others.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for Your promise to restore and redeem. Lord, as we experience seasons of brokenness and hardship, we praise You for the promise of brighter days. Lord, thank You that we can be honest and transparent with You during these seasons of brokenness. Lord, we thank You for being unshakable amid our suffering and for the truth of Psalm 34:18, which states that you are near the brokenhearted. Thank You for this beautiful reminder that restoration is on its way. Amen.
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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