The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Zechariah 1:4-6,
"Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.' But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?"
Embedded within the first prophecy given Zechariah was an observation by the Lord. In preparing Zechariah's audience, the Lord pointed out that their forebearers had rejected the Lord's word... and what did it get them? What profit was there in ignoring the Lord's direction, what good did it do them? The Lord's comment says it all, "Where are your ancestors now?"
Exactly where they are is in the place of departed spirits. The place Jesus spoke of when he gave the account of the beggar Lazarus, and the rich man. Here is what Jesus told us, "The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'"
This is the plight of all who reject the Lord, who ignore his commands, who spurn his love and forgiveness in order to cling to their sin. We read in Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." We simply ignore the Lord to our own personal peril. In speaking of plans in the book of Proverbs, here is another verse to consider, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
There is no future whatsoever in turning our backs on the Lord. From a position of clarity on the state of things in God's cosmos, it is insane to reject what the Lord has to say.
However, many are the ones who fool themselves,
"The fool says in his heart,
'There is no God.'
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Do all these evildoers know nothing?"
"Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.' But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?"
Embedded within the first prophecy given Zechariah was an observation by the Lord. In preparing Zechariah's audience, the Lord pointed out that their forebearers had rejected the Lord's word... and what did it get them? What profit was there in ignoring the Lord's direction, what good did it do them? The Lord's comment says it all, "Where are your ancestors now?"
Exactly where they are is in the place of departed spirits. The place Jesus spoke of when he gave the account of the beggar Lazarus, and the rich man. Here is what Jesus told us, "The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'"
This is the plight of all who reject the Lord, who ignore his commands, who spurn his love and forgiveness in order to cling to their sin. We read in Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." We simply ignore the Lord to our own personal peril. In speaking of plans in the book of Proverbs, here is another verse to consider, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
There is no future whatsoever in turning our backs on the Lord. From a position of clarity on the state of things in God's cosmos, it is insane to reject what the Lord has to say.
However, many are the ones who fool themselves,
"The fool says in his heart,
'There is no God.'
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Do all these evildoers know nothing?"
Apparently, these evildoers do know nothing. They were around in the earliest days documented in the Scriptures, and, the very exact same kind of person is with us today. Fools who reject the Lord. And, to what end?
How tragic! Don't be a fool! Embrace the Lord today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
How tragic! Don't be a fool! Embrace the Lord today!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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