The new Babylonian captivity is approaching: Seek the Lord's protection

The new Babylonian captivity is approaching: Seek the Lord's protection

"Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty." - Jeremiah 15:16

"That is why we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" - Hebrews 13:6

Diana Washington Valdez

Faith Today Ministries

I have many personal experiences of near-death and dangerous situations over the course of my life, and looking back on some of these things, I can say without a doubt that the Lord protected me. The proof is that I'm here today. 

Sometimes He used others to warn me of certain perils, other times He intervened to save me from certain death. No kidding.

The Lord has His reasons for keeping us alive, and for taking some of us sooner. He knows best, and only He has the big picture, as well as the historical view of our lives and of the generations.

Jeremiah is one of my favorite prophets in the Old Testament. He was imprisoned, beaten, ridiculed and ignored for the divine messages he delivered to others who did not want to listen. 

In the Book of Jeremiah, we can read that Jeremiah complained to the Lord about the mistreatment, and the Lord responded by letting him know that He would protect him. 

The Lord also made it clear that Jeremiah would not necessarily be spared the pain and suffering stemming from his service as a faithful prophet. The Lord even told Jeremiah to be prepared because worse things were about to happen to him. I can just imagine Jeremiah thinking, "Lord, you're killing me."

It appears that the prophets Jeremiah, Ezequiel and Daniel were contemporaries - there was some overlap in their ministries - during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish nation during the peak of the Babylonian Empire's power. Yet, the Lord had different roles for each of these three men to serve out in that era. Daniel, for example, served in the palace during most of his ministry.

Whatever the Lord calls us to do, He will equip us to do it. We can be like Jonah, trying to evade our responsibilities in our service to the Lord, and thereby suffer the consequences; or, we can cooperate fully with Him and be faithful like Daniel and the others.

We can't fight God, that's for sure; it's a losing proposition. And, He doesn't need us to accomplish His purposes. Yet, what a privilege it is to serve as co-laborers with Him and with each other.

I believe we are entering a new phase of Babylonian captivity. It goes beyond the physical captivity of a powerful earthly empire. It will include widespread idolatry and it will have a worldwide impact.

We know that the Book of Revelation describes a certain "Babylon," one that we must avoid and which the Lord Himself will destroy. 

Chapter 18 in Revelation describes the fall of Babylon, and in verses 4 and 5 we are told to come out of her:

⁴ Then I heard another voice calling from heaven,

“Come away from her, my people.
    Do not take part in her sins,
    or you will be punished with her.
⁵ For her sins are piled as high as heaven,
    and God remembers her evil deeds. (NLT)

Come what may, our path is clear, and it is to trust and obey the Lord.

Shalom! 

Diana Washington Valdez is an independent ordained Christian minister and president of Faith Today Christian Ministries.