Not Even Kings Believed
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world's people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4:12 (NIV)
Jeremiah records the unbelievable: earth's kings and world's peoples never believed enemies could enter Jerusalem. Faith learning from shattered certainties. Zion seemed impregnable: temple, walls, promises. All believed inviolability. All erred. Human certainties crumble; only God remains. Trusting walls is stone idolatry.
Did not believe: collective unbelief of experts. Kings, strategists, peoples — wrong consensus. Faith never follows majorities nor majesties. Majorities err in chorus. Jeremiah, minority of one, stood right alone. Prophetic voices outweigh polls. Hear God above consensuses.
That enemies could enter gates: violated gates, corrected theology. God permitted the unthinkable teaching essentials: presence cannot be tied to stones. Mature faith transfers trust from temples to temples' Lord. Losing Jerusalem hurt; gaining God compensated. Ruins teach what palaces hide.
Today, review impregnable Jerusalems: health, accounts, reputations. And if they crumble? Prepared faith survives battered gates. Trust cities' Lord, never cities. Gates fall; promises stand. Today's faith crosses tomorrow's sieges.
And believe beyond gates: proven faiths survive ruins. Believe beyond gates today. Proven faiths survive. Trust God. Hold fast. Stand firm. Stand firm and hope hard. Expect restoration. Watch dawns. Endure. Abide. Abide trusting and waiting patiently. Pray on. Worship still.