Jeremiah 47:1: “The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.”

August 14th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Philistines had historically been Israel’s enemy. In the Book of Judges, Samson waged a one-man war against the Philistines. The giant that David took down with his slingshot was a Philistine warrior. But years later it was the Babylonian army that God used to flood over the Philistine’s land. Here in this chapter, just as we saw in the chapter before, concerning Egypt, God was warning the Philistine people of their coming destruction so that they might have time to repent and turn to Him. It has always been God’s plan that His children would be a “light to the Gentile world,” leading all who would, to Him. God is still expecting those who are called by His name to reach out to the dying world, one heart at a time. But who will go?

In the 13th century, the father of Marco Polo, Nicolo Polo, visited the court of Kublai Khan, the Emperor of China and grandson of Genghis Khan. Kublai Khan had never met Europeans before and was deeply impressed by the personal faith of Polo. Khan requested that 100 educated men be sent to him to teach his people about Jesus Christ. However, history records that because of political upheaval in Europe there was a long delay in fulfilling Khan’s request. Finally 2 representatives were sent, but they quickly lost heart and returned to Europe. Without a witness, Khan turned instead to Buddhism, making it the predominant religion of China.

“LORD, we can only pray as Your prophet of old did: ‘Here am I. Send me.'”