THE ARSENAL
THE ARSENAL
There is a “striking” six footer who is currently trending in the world of sports, in the European Football League to be precise. French-born ,Gabonese, professional football player, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who plays for the German Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund, is being pursued by Arsenal and the deadline for this transfer, which will cost about €65m, is just a few hours away. We all know of the fame of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal Football Club, do we not? Gunners!! (For life!!) They are the only team who have won a gold Premier League trophy after winning the 2003/2004 league without a single defeat. They are also the only English Club that have gone a 38-match league season, unbeaten. A remarkable feat, if you ask me. They featured the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas. But it has not always been bright and shiny for the Arsenal Football club. In more recent years they have been embattled and they seem to have lost quite a bit of their shine and fame. They have even become the butt of jokes. But then again they are only human.
So I happen to know Someone whose Arsenal is more fierce than anything described above. You do not ever want to be caught in the line of His fire. Because there will be no way out. So it is best to be on His side always.
“The Lord has opened his arsenal
and brought out the weapons of his wrath,
for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do
in the land of the Babylonians”. Jeremiah 50: 25 NIV
Yes!! The Lord has an arsenal. And He will use His weapons on our enemies. And on those who dare to stand against His plan in the lives of His children. The Babylonians were enemies of Judah and had held them captive for years. It was the case that Judah had been disobedient to God when King Hezekiah had shown off all the wealth and weaponry of the Kingdom to Babylonian Ambassadors who had come to pay him a visit and this was displeasing to God, so God allowed them to fall into the hands of their enemies.
“Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Lord: The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord”. 2 Kings 20: 16 -17 NLT
Yet in His Sovereignty, God was merciful and compassionate on the Jews that had been taken away. Our God will always show mercy and compassion to whomsoever He pleases, regardless of where they have been or what they have done. And He will do absolutely everything within His power to deliver His people. He even used a pagan king, Cyrus the great, of Assyria to bring deliverance to the remnant of Judah that had been taken to Babylon. And so it was that they returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and the temple.
With this I wish to encourage us to return to God, our first love. If perhaps you have wandered away from Him, now is the time to repent and come humbly back to God through Jesus Christ. In our strength we can only go so far. but with God, the Most High; the Mighty man in battle; the Lord, God of Hosts; there is no limit to what we can achieve. And of course He knows exactly how to handle and deal with any powers that try to stand in His way.
Ask the Babylonians!! They know about the wrath of God.
“Send out a call for archers to come to Babylon.
Surround the city so none can escape.
Do to her as she has done to others, for she has defied the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her soldiers will all be killed,” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 50: 29-30 NLT
Naturally, our enemies are the enemies of God. Therefore, please do not be an enemy of God but rather be on the Lord’s side and let Him deal with your enemies.
God has an arsenal that can take any enemy out. Be His friend!
Oluyinka Ego-Martins©