Jeremiah 22  Once again the Lord sends Jeremiah to the king to speak His Word.. "Thus says the Lord, 'Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also, do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.' "  

It doesn't seem like too much to ask.. how hard the heart and how evil the man who would refuse to turn away from doing wrong.. in order to save his nation ?  Yet, this is what happened. 

"But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself.. that this house will become a desolation."   The Lord  brought Nebuchadnezzar against  Judah and its king..  and "hurled"  them  "into another country where you were not born and there you will die." (v26)

Listen to what God says to kings... "Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness and his upper rooms without justice, who uses his neighbor's services without pay and does not give him his wages, who says, ' I will build myself a roomy house with spacious upper rooms, and cut out its windows, paneling it with cedar and painting it bright red.'  Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not this what it means to know Me?  But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, and on shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion." 

God makes it so clear.. doing what is right.. will bring great blessing.  But, doing what is self-serving, evil, and against God's Word will bring only desolation and destruction.  It is the same word that He speaks over and over again.. yet we see the same attitudes.. the same selfish, rebellious, and evil leadership around our world today.  The "kings"  do not care about justice for the oppressed, the orphan and the widow.  They do not care about the shedding of innocent blood.. They only care about their own houses and prosperity.  They won't interfere with the power of the oppressor.. for that is their power too. 

God will bring judgement.  It is not a matter of if but when.. He gave many warnings to Judah and Israel and they did not repent. They did not choose righteousness and compassion. And they were destroyed.  This needs to be heard today.. by those in our nation who are choosing unrighteousness and sin.. who refuse God's Word.  Time is running out... 

Father in heaven, open up the ears of our president and other government leaders.. that they might hear the voice of Your servants warning them of the results of their sinful choices.  They have not done justice.. they have not delivered the poor.. they have condoned the shedding of innocent blood.. Oh God, may they repent and turn back to You.. to Truth.. to righteousness.  May they hear the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and find that You are willing to forgive and restore if they will call upon You.  Father, we seek Your Kingdom and Your righteousness.. waiting on You to accomplish all of Your perfect and holy will in us, Your children. Make us bold in declaring Your Word! May we persevere to the end...  Let Your name be exalted in all the earth. Amen!