"..he that touches you, touches the apple of His eye" Zech. 2:8 (8/24/1975)

         God's sentence upon the rebellion of Israel was captivity in Babylon. The persians were the super-power of that day, and deliverance did not look humanly possible--and it was not. But time was ripe with God. And Babylon, the chastening nation of Israel would find themselves being chastened--their evil way of treating Israel was not counted as righteousness. Babylon, too, was doomed--as prophesied--to fall, and be left in rubble forever (Jer. 51:26). They would suffer everything they had made Israel to suffer. It was marvelous how Babylon fell.
         For the first four years of the reign of Darius, rebel leaders stored in supplies for war. Darius had moved the capital to Susa. In the fifth year the flag of revolt was raised. Darius responded immediately with everything force and statagem could devise. The river water supply was diverted. Darius almost despaired of taking Babylon. Then--one day Zopyrus, his nobleman and friend came in his presence with his nose and ears cut off. Bloody wounds covered his body. "What on earth." "You did it sir," was the reply. "The desire I had of serving you put me into this condition for I was sure you would not consent, so I have consulted no one but my zeal for serving you."
         A plan evolved between the two by which Zopyrus would defect, with his infallible marks of Darius' wrath, to the other side. The leaders of the revolt fell for the trap. Three battles were fought in the ploy which cost Darius 7000 troops. (Wonder where we got that W.W. II term, They Were Expendable.") Then, on the pre-arranged signal, Zopyrus opened the gates of Babylon and Darius marched in without a shot. Generalissimo Zopyrus's deception had worked. He had been above suspect. Upon entering Babylon, Darius promptly ordered the gates torn down, and the entire walls leveled so the proud city would never again revolt against him. The people had killed off their own population in their fight against Darius. And thus did God recompense his own people because the Babylonians had greviously treated them. No wonder the historian Paul would emphasize that we "reap what we sow."
         Several lessons for us emerge. 1. That God will avenge the "apple of his eye."; 2. That he will fill his promises to the letter. 3. That the chastening nation will itself be chastened.           B. Loe