Anchor Devotional

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Frailty of Earthly Kingdoms

“Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” Psalm 46:6

The ancient city of Calah was a suburb of Nineveh (modern Mosul in Iraq), both built by Nimrod (Genesis 10:11-12) whose name, poignantly, means “we shall rebel.” Calah was once a mighty Assyrian stronghold, and it became a center of power, wealth, and idolatry. Yet, like all kingdoms built on human pride, it eventually fell. In 2015, in an attempt to erase history and defy the past, ISIS destroyed much of what was left of this once magnificent city, including many irreplaceable artifacts.

This destruction is a sobering reminder that all human glory is temporary. Empires rise and fall, but God’s kingdom remains forever. The prophet Isaiah declares, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (40:8). No act of destruction, whether by ancient empires or by modern forces, can thwart God’s sovereign plan.

As we witness the fall of great cities and civilizations, let us put our hope in what is eternal. Christ alone is our unshakable foundation, and His kingdom will never be destroyed (see Daniel 2:44).

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
Genesis 10:8-12

INSIGHT
“King of kings and Lord of lords,/ and He shall reign forever and ever.” (George Frederick Handel, 1741)

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
1 Samuel 3-4
Psalm 121
1 Corinthians 15

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