This came up in my reading two days ago (9/11/25). In the USA 9/11 is now “Patriot’s Day.” It helps us remember the tumultuous event of 9/11/01 when the mightiest country in the world was attacked by, in humbled by, a few men with box-cutters and evil intentions. We have been at war with the friends of those “martyrs” ever since, and to this day they continue to be an enemy hard to defeat.
As one who believes the Bible, I understand that the most important issue for my meditation is to consider what God was doing in that event. And it’s not just a matter of saying, “9/11 was God’s judgment on an evil nation,” though that could fit. I do want to say that those types of events are calls to fear God. Always! You can consider that issue, as to whether it increased your devotion and submission to the Lord, and I will do the same.
What I remember about the days following was that Pres. Bush said some things that inspired the nation. The House and Senate passed the USA Patriot Act, strengthening our ability to deal with terrorism. I also remember that some objected to what they saw as a sacrifice of personal rights. Though the Act was extended twice I believe it has not expired.
We also see in our country today some pretty aggressive moves by Pres. Trump, dealing with economic issues (tariffs) and various wars between nations (treaties he has engineered). None of these things are my concern today, in that I’m not calling these good or bad ideas. What we are thinking about is the problem when man in government do not trust the Lord, but who make strategic moves when they are in office that seem good for the immediate time but that come back later to be their undoing. 2 Kings gives us a perfect illustration of this. Think about this.
· 2 Kings 14:25: Israel had Jonah who preached to Ninevah, capital of Assyria (Jonah 3) but who was also concerned about Assyria’s future against Israel, when she would be used of God to do terrible things in Israel (Jonah 4). Israel had this record available to them, that Assyria would become their enemy. Yet ...
· 15:19: Menahem invites Assyria into Israel to secure his kingdom at the start. It seemed like the logical thing to do at the time. But Menahem clearly was not doing what the Lord told him to do. He even paid money for Assyria’s support.
· 15:25: Pekah killed Pekahiah, the son of Menahem, which therefore irritated the Assyrians so that they invaded Israel (15:29).
· 15:37: Therefore Israel allied itself with Syria, again not at God’s direction but because Assyria was their common enemy. It seemed to be the right thing to do.
· Ch. 16: But enter Ahaz, king of Judah, father of Hezekiah. He gets chummy with the Assyrians (16:8), asking them for help when Israel and Syria was causing him trouble (16:7). Assyria is glad to help, destroying Syria (16:9) and then Israel (17:3). Hoshea of Israel makes a treaty with Assyria, but then breaks it (17:4) so that Israel falls (17:5) and is the dispersed from the land.
· Ch. 18-19: And of course, later, Assyria will also invade Judah in the days of Hezekiah. Hez will also try to appease Assyria (18:14-16). But finally, he will put his trust wholly in the Lord, bringing an end to Assyria as a problem for God’s people (19:14-19).
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD. (Jer. 9:23-24)
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