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(Cont. from Page
4/2/85A).
EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA AS A RANSOM "For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel your Saviour. I have given Egypt as a ransom for you, Ethiopia and Se'ba in place of you. Owing to the fact that you have been precious in My eyes, you have been considered honourable, and I Myself have loved you. And I shall give men in place of you, and national groups in place of your soul." (Isaiah 43:3,4). Rebellious spirits are being sacrificed for His servants and witnesses.
THE DROUGHTS. "And I will give them for a quaking to all the kingdoms* of the earth on account of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem." (From Jer 15:4). Many Ethiopians today continue living in spirit rebellion against heavenly "Jerusalem". So after more than 2,600 years of rebellion, our Lord is giving "attention to their sins": "This is what Jehovah has said concerning this people: "Thus they have loved to wander about; their feet they have not kept in check. So Jehovah Himself has taken no pleasure in them. Now He will remember their error and will give attention to their sins."" (14:10).
"FOUR FAMILIES" SENT BECAUSE OF
ONE. "This is what Jehovah has said: 'Whoever is for deadly plague, to deadly plague! And whoever is for the sword, to the sword! And whoever is for the famine, to the famine! And whoever is for the captivity, to the captivity! And I will commission over them four families,' is the utterance of Jehovah, 'the sword to kill, and the dogs to drag away, and the flying creatures of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to eat and to bring to ruin.'" (Jer 15:2,3). The house of Manasseh was guilty of spiritistic practices, ba'al worship, and the shedding of innocent blood. (See 2 Kings 21:1-16 & 2 Chron 33:1-9). Justifiably, Almighty God is bringing such evils to an end: "I am taking no pleasure in them; for by the sword and by famine and by pestilence I am bringing them to their end." (14:12). "…your acts of adultery and your neighings, your loose conduct in prostitution. Upon the hills, in the field, I have seen your disgusting things..." (13:27). So now, after many generations of spirit rebellion, no matter how much more time were to be granted them, the process of spirit reconciliation to God is not possible for Ethiopians schooled in evil since childhood. (13:23-27 NEB). So when they are struck down by the Lord, they must not be buried or mourned, just as it is written: "For these are the words of the Lord concerning sons and daughters born in this place, the mothers who bear them and the fathers who beget them in this land: When men die, struck down by deadly ulcers, there shall be no wailing for them and no burial; they shall be like dung lying upon the ground. When men perish by sword or famine, their corpses shall become food for birds and for beasts." (From 16:1-4 NEB).
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