July 3rd

³ I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
   I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath—
   those who rejoice in my triumph.

 ⁴ Listen, a noise on the mountains,
   like that of a great multitude!
Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,
   like nations massing together!
The LORD Almighty is mustering
   an army for war.
⁵ They come from faraway lands,
   from the ends of the heavens—
the LORD and the weapons of his wrath—
   to destroy the whole country.

 ⁶ Wail, for the day of the LORD is near;
   it will come like destruction from the Almighty.^[a]
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,
   every heart will melt with fear.
⁸ Terror will seize them,
   pain and anguish will grip them;
   they will writhe like a woman in labor.
They will look aghast at each other,
   their faces aflame.

 ⁹ See, the day of the LORD is coming
   —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
   and destroy the sinners within it.
¹⁰ The stars of heaven and their constellations
   will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened
   and the moon will not give its light.
¹¹ I will punish the world for its evil,
   the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
   and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

It’s interesting how the Lord uses nations against other nations as weapons.  He proclaimed that he was going to use Darius of the Medes to bring down Babylon for its arrogance.  Babylon had before been God’s instrument, but they gloried in their own power and wealth therefore they were to brought down.  How is the Lord using nations today to work out His will?  It’s no good to be on God’s bad side.   I wonder how long that God will put up with all of the sin in America.  How are we like Babylon?  There are many in this country that worship the Lord.  Will that stay His hand for awhile?