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Day 37

Psalm 74:8b "They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land."

Day 37 – Psalm 74

“They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.” Psalm 74:8b

A BURNING RAMPAGE

The arrogant Babylonians had invaded the land of Israel. They had earlier destroyed the mighty Assyrian empire. Seemingly they were unstoppable!

“They said in their hearts,
‘Let us destroy them altogether.’
They have burned up all the meeting places
of God in the land.”
Psalm 74:8

1. “They said in their hearts”

a) This was a conjecture on the psalmist’s part.
b) Of course he could not have known what was in the hearts of the Babylonians.
c) Nevertheless his surmising was not without merit.

2. “Let us destroy them altogether”

a) Destruction was in the mind of the warlike Babylonians.
b) They felt that the best way to establish their empire was to destroy their enemies.
c) They carried out their intentions with great zeal and vigour.
d) Every place under attack could expect no mercy from the Babylonians.
e) Judah was devastated by the Babylonians.

3. “They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land”

a) The temple (the sanctuary) was burned to the ground.
b) What were these “meeting places of God in the land”?
i) The phrase “in the land” would suggest that the focus was not just the temple.
ii) There were special cities of refuge that were under the special care of the Levites.
iii) These cities offered sanctuary to all who fled there.
iv) These could be fugitives who had not been tried in the law courts yet.

v) All these meeting places had also been destroyed by the vengeful Babylonians.