A major of the British army once... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

Assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law, till all is fulfilled.
Matthew 5:18.

A major of the British army once demanded that a preacher should give him a clear, convincing reason why he should believe that the Bible is really God's Word and not of human origin. Knowing that the major had travelled widely in the Middle East, the preacher asked him if he had ever visited Babylon. The officer was able to report the following impressions of that ancient city:

"The ruins of Babylon are filled with wild animals that are game for the hunter. I asked a sheik for permission to hunt and for an escort of hunters who knew the district. Several Arabs came to the old part of the city with me, but when evening fell, they packed up their tents and left the ruins. I was forced to give up the idea of hunting. The next morning I complained to the sheik, who simply answered, ‘It's too dangerous to spend the night there because of the wild animals. No-one stays there after sundown.'"

Thereupon the preacher opened his Bible and read from Isaiah 13: "Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride will never be inhabited. Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there; nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there. But wild beasts of the desert will lie there; and their houses will be full of owls; ostriches will dwell there. . The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces" (vv. 19-22).

It made a deep impression on the major to learn that some 3,000 years had passed since this prophecy was written.

Today's reading: Joshua 7:16-26 · 1 Corinthians 6:1-11