Words to Treasure
But God’s people made fun of his messengers. They hated his words. They laughed at his prophets.
2 Chronicles 36:16
Jamie, Liam, and Emma were sitting up in the balcony at church. They had a guest speaker who used a lot of big words and long sentences. Soon they were making fun and got a bad case of the giggles. They got so loud that everybody could hear them. Soon the threesome realized the entire church was looking at them, and that wasn’t so funny. They sank low in their seats, hoping the floor would open up and swallow them.
After church their youth pastor walked up to them with a shake of his head. “I don’t know what to say. You guys were really rude. I’m disappointed in you. You’ll have to work hard to get back the respect you lost today.”
Your pastors, Sunday school teachers, and the people who come to your church have things to say about God and the world. God is saying important things to you through them. So listen, and show respect.
The Babylonians were powerful neighbors of Jerusalem. They were becoming bigger, badder, and bolder every year. No kingdom could stand up to them. And now the Babylonians had their eye on the kingdom of Judah. God was not very happy with his people’s behavior towards his prophets and a mess of other bad habits. So he must have thought that a hard time with the Babylonians was just what his people needed as a tough lesson.