You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call on You. Psalm 86:5.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 ESV.

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5.

I loved this in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers: “A person who has not been born again by the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when he is baptized by the Holy Spirit, he finds that “clouds and darkness surround Him.” When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first realization of this. The only possible way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet – getting rid of all the excessive informality with which we approach God – it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence…Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Once, the Bible was just so many words to us – “clouds and darkness” – then, suddenly, the words become spirit and life because Jesus re-speaks them to us when our circumstances make the words new. That is the way God speaks to us; not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God, it is by the most simple way – words.”

All of Scripture is words. And when you ask Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, to help you understand as you read…to know Him in these words…something remarkable happens. And you want more! In our chapter, Jeremiah 39, everything Jeremiah has been prophesying has come to pass. This is how Jerusalem was taken: In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through…When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward Arabah. But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem…Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people…and left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them the vineyards and fields. v. 1-10. And Jeremiah? Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: “Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”…They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people. v. 11-14. And remember the man who intervened for Jeremiah when he was thrown into the cistern to die? While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill My words against this city – words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in Me, declares the Lord.’” v. 15-18.

Sometimes Scripture is very specific even naming the year and month and those who ruled in those specific recorded times. Sometimes Scripture is vague about timing in the way we understand time. But Scripture is never vague about Creator God. And Creator God is doing a new thing always. There is joy when we share in that new thing as He reveals it. And the joy comes in being with Him! The light of God’s love sings in our hearts when we welcome Him in! What joy will we discover with Him leading us? Remove your casual, religious shoes off your casual, religious feet…and wake up! Our God is calling and His song is beautiful! For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14. No more “clouds and darkness”…He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21. The final words of Scripture. A good place to start! He is coming and He is bringing His love and His salvation with Him. His grace is with us when we let Him in and what joy we experience because His light penetrates the darkness of this world. Can you imagine what light He will bring? Help us perceive it, Lord!