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The princes of Judah not only turned away from God and worshiped idols, causing the wrath of God. But when God sent prophets to bring the message and warning they needed to return to the Lord, guess what they did. They would not pay heed to the warning. So God sent Zechariah to question their disobedience, and to make it abundantly clear that God had forsaken them. Why? Because they had forsaken God!
This is not merely a story of rebellious princes from long ago who refused to repent when God sent messengers to warn them. This is a message for today – for this very day! Too often, I hear people talk about how God will never forsake us. Something tells me we’ve got our priorities turned around. Who are we to focus on God not forsaking us when so many of us are living our lives in such a way that we are forsaking Him through disobedience and rebellion. Some people try to use Jesus Christ as an “easy way out.” He paid the penalty for our sins, right? So we should just keep on sinning, milking our lives for all they are worth, right? Not so! Jesus paid the price so we could repent and be forgiven – AND commit our lives to living according to the ways of the Lord.
The message is loud and clear! God’s Word – and the messengers He sends each and every one of us through friends, strangers, family, pastors, whoever He chooses to send – make it perfectly clear that we need to get our acts together. God is storing up His wrath for the day of judgment. One person I know who believes in Jesus Christ told me he would plead mercy when he stands before the Lord. That is all well and good, but I have read enough of the Bible to know that Jesus is going to tell those who believe in Him and live lives of utter disobedience and rebellion to go away from Him. As one friend likes to say when he teaches people about the Bible, he doesn’t want to be left behind. I don’t either, and I would bet that neither do you!
If you’re anything like the rest of us, God has sent people into your life at one time or another – maybe even now – to warn you that He wants you to turn away from certain things, and maybe even people, in your life and to make a full commitment to Him. If you have turned away from God, it’s time to turn back. If you are hanging onto something He wants you to let go, let it go. If you have never turned to Him, do so now – before it’s too late. Repent and believe the Gospel that Christ died for your sins and commit your life from this day forward to the Lord. There will come a day and hour it will be too late to turn to the only one who saves. The Lord!
The princes of Judah didn’t heed the warning they were given. Will you?
2Ch 24:17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
2Ch 24:18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
2Ch 24:19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
2Ch 24:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
2Ch 24:21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
1 Comment
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