Isaiah 47 is my chapter for today. In it God declares his judgment on Babylon. My search to find out all that Babylon's territory included in ancient times revealed that Babylon included (parts or all of) Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
Babylon was guilty of an attempt at identity theft - - of God's identity! In Isaiah 47:8 and 47:10, Isaiah declares the following of Babylon, '...you said in your heart. "I am, and there is no one besides me."
Those words elicit an immediate reaction. Only God, the Maker of Heaven and earth is the One and Only, the Great I AM. I Am is how He identifies Himself - - and anyone who tries to usurp that Name is guilty of identity theft. My response in reading this is the same as my reaction 5 years ago when our tour bus drove into The Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. There was a huge billboard that stated, "THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH. MOHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER." That, too, is an attempt at identity theft. (The attached is the picture I took from the bus.)
The Bible was written over a period of many centuries, with the first writings being from Moses - with God as the source of the reports written; and the final writings being by John (Revelation) within +-60 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. The TRUTH of God's Word has been proven over and over because everything that He promises comes to pass.
Jesus warned that in the last days many would come saying they were the Messiah. In Matthew 24:4, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives (where I just recently walked), the disciples came to Jesus and asked him about the end of the age.
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many. We've seen it happen over and over - but God will have the last word. His Word declares it, and God cannot lie.
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