When Time Is Up

Ancient Babylon considered itself impenetrable. The city massive fortified walls, with 100 brass two-leaved gates, 25 on each side, bolted with iron bars.  Babylon prided itself that nothing, and no one, could enter. But God told the Israelite captives that he would release them after 70 years in captivity and restore them to the land. Babylon mocked.

But God had his eye on a Persian king… “This is what the Lord says to His anointed (king), to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; I will loosen the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut. I will go before you and make the crooked straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in half the bars of iron… that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel” (Isaiah 45:1-3).

Inside Babylon, on the night it was overthrown, an arrogant Babylonian king (Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson) mocked God while drinking from golden cups taken from Israel’s Temple. God’s hand appeared against the wall writing a message in the plaster, and so frightened was the king that, “the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees smote against each other.” The message was… “God has numbered your kingdom’s days and finished it…Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (Daniel 5).

That night, the inner gates, leading from the streets to the river, were mysteriously left open, as were the gates of the palace, giving Cyrus and his army access to every part of the city. The date was recorded… Oct 21/22, 538 BC.

This is a good reminder for us that nothing can thwart God’s purposes… “I am God. Yea, before the day (time) existed, I AM, and there is none that can deliver out of My hand: I will work, and who shall hinder it?” (Isaiah 43:13). Jesus will be on time.

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)