Psalm 9:19

¹⁹ Arise, Lord, do not let mortals   triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence.  

The Lord God Almighty has chosen Israel as his precious possession, but they were rebellious and disobeyed him. His judgment is righteous; he punished them through the cruelty of the Babylonians. It recorded in Jeremiah 25:9, ^“9I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin,” declares the Lord.

The ruthless Babylonians had no compassion for Israel. They burned the temple and destroyed the walls of Jerusalem. And because of their own wickedness the Lord let the Babylonians conquered and punished by the Persians. The Persians had compassion for Israel. It narrated in Isaiah 45:13, “¹³I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward,” says the Lord Almighty.

Indeed, Cyrus king of Persia ordered the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. He also decreed any surviving Israelite may return to Jerusalem; they were provided with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.

Wicked mortals will be punished. God is righteous judge.  His judgment against the disobedient Israelites and the wicked Babylonians should remind us that it is far more favorable to obey and prioritize the Lord. His ways are too wonderful for us to grasp by our limited ability, and we cannot agree with him. May the Holy Spirit inspire us to internalize that obedience to him is the greatest experience we can ever live.

Lord Jesus, fill me with wisdom to obey you.

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