Week 25 Bible Reading: 2 Kings 25:1–21

All this happened in Jerusalem and Judah because the Lord was angry with them. Finally, he threw them out of his presence. - 2 Kings 24:20 ICB

There have been some horrible defeats in sports history, but none worse than Cumberland’s 222–0 loss to Georgia Tech in 1916. It was the worst college football defeat ever, and the Cumberland players must have been devastated.

Another kind of loss happened to the people of Jerusalem in 586 BC—much worse than any sports defeat. Because of their disobedience, God allowed them to be defeated by the Babylonian army (2 Kings 24:20).

Led by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians left the Holy City in ruins. They burned the majestic temple, the palace of the king, and the people’s homes. And the people were led away to live in Babylon—1,600 miles away.

It was one of the worst defeats in the history of God’s people, the Jews. Their continued disobedience had terrible consequences. Through it all, God urged them to repent and turn back to Him.

God really wants us to live in a way that honors Him! We should live as God wants us to live—just because of how much it means to Him. Jerusalem’s loss can challenge us to live in obedience to God.

Earlier in the school year of 1916–1917, Cumberland’s baseball team had defeated Georgia Tech 22–0 on the diamond.