and say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against humanity from south to north. So humanity will know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.”’ (v.3-5)

Now as for you, son of man, make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And make a signpost; make it at the head of the way to the city.(v.19)

And it will be that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague,’ declares the LORD, ‘until I have eliminated it by his hand. (Jeremiah 27:8)

The Israelites trusted the kings of other nations such as Egypt and Babylon instead of their own king, God. They went after other nations and their idols. Their abominable acts are described in Ezekiel 16 and 23. Because of the prostitution of the Israelites, God handed the Northern Israel to Assyria and the kingdom Judah to Babylon. Assyria and Babylon were given the power so that the Israelites would learn the pain of slavery in foreign lands. Although they were in exile in Babylon, God was still with them (Ezekiel 11:16).

People who focus on morality when reading the Bible do not understand why God hands His people over to those who are lawless. Throughout history, God handed Christians over to non-Christians or false Christians. And we understand the reason when we read the Bible. We call ourselves Christians and yet, go after idols in our hearts. We are handed over to those that we have been after. And then we realize how stupid we have been.

People who connects Christianity and earthly prosperity/happiness fail to see the necessity of sufferings given by God. Even reborn Christians sometimes fall into temptation especially when they have earthly prosperity leading to pride. Pride always leads to idolatry and immoralities because it promotes serving and praising oneself. Only when God wakes us up from our delusions, we realize how merciful and faithful God is.

The Book of Habakkuk tells us why God handed the Israelites to Babylonians. At first, Habakkuk does not understand why God gives power to the lawless Chaldeans. God answers to him in chapter 2. And God says:

Behold, as for the impudent one,
His soul is not right within him;
But the righteous one will live by his faith. (v.2)

God teaches us that we live by faith in God. And that faith is from God. Who can teach or give counsel to God?

Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, and informed Him of the way of understanding? (Isaiah 40:13-14)

Many Christians say to God what He should do or shouldn’t do in their prayers. They are merely speaking to their idols. It would be better to keep silent and read the Bible instead of speaking meaningless words that bring God’s wrath.

“What benefit is a carved image when its maker has carved it,
Or a cast metal image, a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts in his own handiwork
When he fashions speechless idols.
Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
That is your teacher?
Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,
Yet there is no breath at all inside it.
But the Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.” (Habakkuk 2:18-20)